La Encantadora Novia Esqueleto
by SugarButterfly432
Summary: Héctor Rivera is arrange to marry Imelda Flores by their parents. But when he finds himself being married to a skeleton, he must find a way to get back home on time for his wedding. Corpse Bride Au.
1. Chapter 1

**I just love the movies Coco and Corpse Bride. I don't own the movies or the canon characters, only my ocs.**

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In a beautiful mansion in Santa Cecilia, there was a young man setting on his bed while playing his beloved guitar. His name was Héctor Rivera, and he was the son of the town's fish merchant. The Rivera family were very wealthy as they build a fish market in Santa Cecilia. However, the Rivera family were new money, and because of this, the town's elites did not invited them to their gathers. Héctor and his father Adrián Rivera didn't care about since things. Adrián only wanted his son to have the things that he ever had when he was his age. His mother, however, did.

Sofía Rivera wanted to be part of the high society. Since her husband was successful to start his own business, she felt that it was her right to be treated as a woman of high ranking. Sofía had always told her husband that they should try be more like a family of Bluebloods. However, Adrián would always told that they should be happy where they are right now. As they had warm clothes, delicious food, a beautiful house, and money. They were not in the slums , and their only son Héctor would not have face such hardships that they did.

However, an opportunity soon came by, one that she couldn't never missed. The Flores family was an extremely wealthy family who had good connects and were old money. In fact, they were one of the families that founded Santa Cecilia. The Flores family also had an extremely beautiful daughter named Imelda who was the most beautiful girl in Santa Cecilia with a strong willed young woman with a reputation of scaring any men that tried to count her.

The Flores family had somehow became bankrupted, losing all of their fortunate without a penny to their name. The only way for them from living on the streets was to marry off their daughter. Unfortunately for them, no men in the old money community wanted to marry Imelda despite being the most beautiful girl in town. They all said that didn't want a troublesome girl as their wife.

So when Sofía Rivera prospered a marriage between her Héctor Rivera and their daughter Imelda Flores, they reluctantly agreed to their match. As they were very desperate to their status in society.

When Héctor was told by his mother that he was going to marry Imelda Flores, he thought that she was joking. But his mother was dead serious on the match. Héctor try to tell his father that he wasn't so about the marriage. But the older man said that it was time for Héctor to settle down and start a family now.

This was why Héctor was playing his guitar, playing it gave him relief from the stress of his future marriage to Imelda Flores, who he never actually spoken to.

Just then, a knock on his door gotten his attraction as it pulled him back to reality. Héctor stopped playing and got up from his bed. He went to his door, open it, and saw one the older maids standing in front of him.

"Señor Héctor, your mother had told me to come to you and remind you to get ready for your wedding rehearsal at the Flores Manor today," She said.

"Sí. Gracias. I almost forgotten that the rehearsal was today. Thank you for reminding me," Héctor said with a kind smile on his face.

The maid politely excused herself from his room, probably was going to help his mother with her dress. Héctor sighed as he pulled his hair back. He was already nervous about the actually wedding, the rehearsal was just as nerve wrecking as the real one. Hopefully, Imelda was just as nervous as he is right now.

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_The Flores Manor_

At the Flores Manor, an extremely beautiful young woman was getting ready for something important today. Imelda Flores was getting ready for her wedding rehearsal at her home today. However, she was far from pleased. She was getting married to someone that she never even spoken to. Héctor Rivera was to become her husband tomorrow.

Her parents had arranged the marriage a few days age. Imelda knew that her parents were trying keep their family name from falling from grace, even if they reluctantly arranged her marriage to the son of a new money family.

Although, Imelda had secretly wondered what Héctor was like. Was he a kind person who will treat her with respect? Or was he like any other man that tried to count her only for her beauty. From what she heard from her maids, Héctor often played at Mariachi Plaza with his guitar. According to them and many others, Héctor played beautifully. His music made everybody dance to it. However, her mother said that it was typical of someone like him from new money that still acted a like a commoner. This was why she never interacted with her future husband before, her parents did not want her to be near him. Despite being born into the world of wealth and luxury, Héctor still had commoner's blood in his veins.

But today was the day that she'll finally talked to Héctor for the first time in their entire lives.

Although, Imelda, despite being a strong woman, was a little afraid of marriage. From what she sees from watching her parents, they don't show much affection for each other. All of her life, her mother and father arms length, she had never even seen them kissed before. So it was a little scary for her to behave that way around her husband.

Her beloved childhood maid Lirio was helping her getting ready for the rehearsal. Imelda look at herself on her mirror, and sighed heavily. A painful tightness on her waist pulled from her thoughts and back to reality. Imelda gasps as Lirio pulled on her corset tightly. Honestly, these things were going out of fashion, but her mother said that they help with getting your waist smaller.

Imelda sighed again and look at her maid, "Ay, Lirio. I'm so worried about this marriage. What if Héctor and I don't like each other," She said as Lirio continued to tighten the corset. Just as the older woman was about to something, another voice beat her to it.

"Ay, Mija, is that what you're worried about?"

Imelda turn around to see her parents at her doorway. They were very strict with her, ever since she was a child. Martín and Isabella Flores had always told their daughter to keep with appearance and to not interact with someone below her status. However, since they went bankrupt and with no other men willing to marry her because of her strong will, they had no choice but to allowed a marriage between her and Héctor Rivera.

"Will of course I am, Mamá. I'm marring someone that I've never spoke to before," Imelda said.

"Imelda, tell me, do you think that your mother and I like each other?" Martín ask his only daughter.

Imelda look at her father, and then her mother, "Surely you two do? At least, a little?" She said.

Martín sigh.

"Mija, your mother and I tolerant each other. That what marriage means in the aristocrat world," Her father said.

Isabella went up to her daughter and place her hands on her shoulders, "Imelda, remember what your marriage will mean to us. Your marriage to the Rivera boy will keep us from living on the streets. Do this for your family, Mija," Isabella said as she went back to her husband's side. The two left their daughter with Lirio.

Lirio went up to Imelda's ear and whisper, "Pray that your new husband will be a gentleman, Imelda," She said with a gentle smile on her face wrinkled face. Imelda smile back. Lirio had always been more like a mother than her real one.

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_At Mariachi Plaza _

A handsome man was playing at the center of the Plaza. Women were gazing at him with dreamily eyes. He just arrive at Santa Cecilia today. His name was Ernesto de la Cruz.

"Ay, have you heard that the wedding rehearsal is going to be at the Flores Manor today?" A man as he walked past Ernesto with a friend.

"Sí. The Flores are extremely rich. The fact that they marring off their daughter to that new money Rivera boy, they must now be loco?" His friend.

Ernesto overheard them.

An extremely wealthy family?

A smile appeared on his face. A wicked smile.

"Excuse me, mi amigos. Tell me about this wedding rehearsal that you speak of," Ernesto said as he walk up to the two men.

The two men told him about the Flores family and that they were the richest family in town. They also told him that their daughter Imelda Flores was the most beautiful woman in of all of Santa Cecilia.

Ernesto believe that he found his new familia. Although, he would have to get rid of a certain someone, but that won't be a problem.

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**So what did you guys think? Tell me in your reviews. If you want to the meaning of the title of the story? You should googled it. But don't spoiled it for others when the ending is here.**

**P.S. This takes place in 1917**


	2. Chapter 2

**The new chapter is here! Sorry if this took too long to make. But it's here now. So please, enjoy the story.**

**P.S. For those who don't know this, I'm Mexican American and proud of my heritage. **

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Outside of the Rivera mansion, a fancy car pulled up in front of the manor. Stepping out of the car was an elderly man who was coughing loudly. He was patiently waited for the Rivera family to come out. The wedding rehearsal will start in an hour or so. From what he heard from people in town, the Flores family hated lateness. Just then, the door open. Adrián and Sofía Rivera stepped outside of their beautiful home. The day was very beautiful. Especially, for a wedding rehearsal.

The two older Riveras gracefully stepped down on the stairs. Today was the rehearsal that they planed for days now. Tomorrow they will gain a daughter-in-law from one of the respectful families in Santa Cecilia. Sofía waved her fan in front of her face. Her dream of being part of the elites were soon coming true. Her son will marry Imelda Flores tomorrow. Everything must perfect. No mess, no disasters, just perfection.

Adrián look at his beloved wife, "You're quite excited today, aren't you, mi amor?" He ask.

Sofía look at her husband with a smile on her face, "Sí. Today's beautiful for a wedding," She said as she waved her fan lightly.

Adrián pulled her closer to him "A rehearsal, mi amor, to be very perfectly clear," He said.

"Rehearsal for a gloriosa wedding. Everything must go according to plan," Sofía said.

The couple walk to their car with door being held by their loyal driver César.

"Gracias, César," Sofía said. But she notice that something important wasn't with her. Or rather someone, "Where's Héctor? We'll be late," She said worrying.

But the door quickly open, reveling Héctor Rivera. He was quite nervous.

"Mijo, there you are!" Sofía said. Checking over her son to see that he was already.

"Sorry, Mamá. I was just playing my guitar," Héctor said as rubbed his arm nervously.

Sofía sigh. She loved her son greatly, but feels that music will distraction him from doing what is right for the family.

"Come along, mijo. The Flores will not forgive us if we're late," Sofía said as she dragged her son by the arm to the car with her husband behind them.

Once they got in their car with César driving it, Héctor nervously folded his hands together. Soon, he'll meet his future bride Imelda. But there was one thing going on his mind right now.

"Papa, Mamá, shouldn't Imelda Flores be marring someone from old money like her?" He ask. Héctor wonder why wasn't Imelda marring someone like her. Her parents would have been happy to marry her off to a man of wealth, not someone who just got their money.

"Ay, we're just as good as the Flores family, Héctor," Sofía said, waving her fan harder now.

"But I never spoken to Imelda before," Héctor said.

Adrián notice how nervous his son was, "Mijo, I understand that you're nervous. But you must became a man and marry the Flores girl tomorrow." He said to his young son.

Héctor sigh. Knowing that his parents will have him marry Imelda no matter what.

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_The Flores Manor_

Imelda had just put on her purple dress. It was her favorite one. At least she was wearing something that she liked. Lirio was about to do her hair when her mother called the old woman to help her with something. Lirio politely excused herself before Imelda. Leaving the young woman to do her own hair instead. Not that Imelda didn't mind.

Just as Imelda was about to do her hair, she heard giggles behind her. She knew who was it. Or rather who were they.

"Ay, Óscar, Felipe. Don't you two have better things to do other trying to prank on your older sister on the day of her wedding rehearsal?" Imelda said, not even bothering to turn around to know that her young twin brothers had managed to sneak into her room without her noticing them.

"Ay, Imelda!" The twins said, disappointing that their older sister had notice them.

Imelda couldn't help but giggle. She knew that her little brothers were just trying to cheer her up for today. Both Óscar and Felipe were not happy that their sister was getting married. Her being married meant that she'll move in with her new husband's family. Tonight was their last night together. The twins didn't want her to leave them with their parents. They were no fun. But they knew that she was doing this for them and not their parents.

"We were just trying to make you laugh," Óscar said.

"Before you get married, Imelda," Felipe said, finishing Óscar's sentence like always.

Imelda smile. Happy to know that her little brothers just wanted her to smile before she leaves them. But she'll always visit them whenever she likes, which it be everyday. Regardless what her husband will say. Imelda wrapped her arms around them and hugged them tightly. Despite acting tough and not caring about who she'll married, Imelda was still scared of marring someone that she never spoken to before.

Many of her friends were already married. Some were happy with their husbands. Others, however, were not as lucky. In fact, Imelda would always hear from her unlucky friends was that their husbands were not nice men. Their husbands would hurt them when they did not listen to them. Their own families would often tell them that they must always obey their husbands. Imelda even remember that one of her friends had her own husband divorced her for another woman. This left Imelda's poor friend in disgrace as her children were taking away from her and her own family disowning her for failing her role as an obedient wife. This left Imelda being afraid of her own family disowning her as well if something similar will to happen to her.

But she knows that her brothers will always support her and be by her side. Her parents, however.

"Don's worry, you two. I'll visit you everyday. I'm just getting married. Papa and Mamá are not sending me to war," Imelda said gently, trying to ease the sadness that her brothers had for her.

Just then, a knock on Imelda's door had got the Flores' attraction. Imelda let go of her brothers and walk over to the door. Opening it to see it was one of the butlers, Nicolás who was had served the Flores family since her father was just an infant, "Señor Óscar, Señor Felipe, your father wants the two of you to downstairs right now when the Rivera family comes here," He said strictly.

Both Óscar and Felipe didn't want to leave their beloved big sister. But they knew not to disobey their father. Reluctantly, they hugged Imelda again and left her room with Nicolás escorting them out of the room. Scolding the Flores twins for entering a lady's room while she was changing was not something a gentleman does.

Imelda smiled. Nicolás had always taught her and brothers to behave around their parents. Even if the older man was very strict at times, she could tell that he cared about them.

She went back to her mirror to do her hair. Praying that Héctor was a good man.

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**So? What did you guys think? Again, sorry I took too long to make this chapter. **

**By the way, glorious is pronounce is different in Spanish by both genders. Gloriosa for woman. Glorioso for men. I just wanted to point that out if you were wondering.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, everyone. I'm back. For the review ask about Fanfiction, it's free. All you have to is to put your email address in the sign up and create your username and password.**

**Ok, the third chapter is here.**

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The way to the Flores manor was long, at least to Héctor it was. His mother was talking about how this marriage will help their family to go to highly status in society. But Héctor didn't care about such things. He actually preferred a simple, quiet life with his parents. But he knew that his mother was only doing this do their family wouldn't looked down by anyone anymore. His father agreed to the match because Héctor was a bit shy around girls. Believing that an arrange marriage will hope his son to become more confident in later life, trusting Imelda to help him.

Besides, Héctor also knew that his parents wouldn't still be around with him forever. His father had told him when he was younger after he told the older man that he wanted to be with him and his mother forever. Adrián smiled at his young son's desire to be with him and his mother. But he told Héctor how much important for him to have his own family with someone that he'll share with. Having someone special with him was wonder have by your side.

Hearing laughter from his right side, Héctor turn to see a group of small children playing together. Héctor smiled at the sight as they dove by them. Those children were lucky that they still had freedom before they enter the adult world. It wasn't pleasant. Growing up is hard, especially when they are getting married to someone that they barely know.

Seeing the Flores manor ahead, Héctor knew that his old life is almost over, and soon his new one will begin. This was it. He'll finally talk to Imelda Flores at last. Hoping that she wasn't as mean as the other men as she was. Although, Héctor doubted their words. Believing that they were just trying to villainized Imelda as payback for rejecting them. Taking deep breathes, Héctor relaxed before he gets to meet his future in-laws. He did wanted to make a good first impression on them before the actually wedding happens. He wouldn't get a second chance if he messed up, especially at the rehearsal.

Sofía look at the manor and grasp, "It's so hermosa!" She said as she placed her hand near his month. She had always wanted to be inside of the Flores for a long time now. Seeing that she was about to enter it, she felt that she was dreaming.

She turn to look at her son, and notice that he was talking deep breathes. Sofía look down for a moment. Thinking what will she'll say to her beloved son, "Héctor, mijo, I'm glad that came to you decided that come and meet your bride," She said, hoping that will bring him comforted at last.

Héctor gave his mother a small smile, "Sí, Mamá. Why wouldn't go to my own wedding rehearsal. Who doesn't show up for their rehearsal?" He said. Even id he didn't like the whole idea, Héctor will do it for his mother. After all, she never ask for anything from him. This was the only time that she asked him to do something for her. Even if he didn't like it.

The car finally stopped, with César stepping out of it. He coughed loudly but he was coving his month. He open the door for the Rivera family. They stepped out. Looking at the mansion in front of them. Sofía cleared her throat, getting her family's attraction on her, "Ven, ven, the Flores family are waiting for us inside," She said, wakling up the stairs. Her husband and son followed her.

But Héctor turn around to see César, "Gracias, César," He said, turning around to follow his parents. César smiled and whisper good luck to the young man.

Sofía turn to her son to double check him to see if he was ready.

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_Inside_

Óscar and Felipe were in front of their parents. They were bored to death. The Flores twins had to be up front to meet their future brother-in-law. Even though they haven't meet him yet, both Óscar and Felipe already dislike Héctor Rivera for taking their big sister away from them. Despite knowing that their family needed the money, the two brothers won't ready to see their beloved sister leave them for her new husband.

Martín look at his sons, trying to make sure that they look and behave a certain manner. In a way that will clearly told that new money Rivera family that they were still better them in everyway. His sons won't ruined their family image if they were kept in line. Their sister Imelda had always listen to him and their mother when it comes to the name of the Flores family, "Mijos, act and look like the Floreses like you are. The Rivera family are still beneath us," He said strictly.

"Sí, Papa," The twins said at the same time. Their father never cared about them as actually individuals. Martín Flores had always kept his children under wraps. Always caring about the image of their family and not wanting anything to ruined that.

Their mother Isabella was also the same. She forbidden her children from playing with other children from families that could tainted the name of the Flores family. Forcing them to play with children that she believe that will make perfect playdates. The children that Óscar and Felipe played with were all spoiled and snobby. Those kids always acted like they own everything, including their servants. Which the twins were disgusted by it. Their servants were more kinder than their parents. Imelda took way better care of them than their mother and father.

A door bell rang, clearly telling them that the Rivera family were finally here. Martín and Isabella look at each other. Isabella turn to look at her sons, "Ven, mijos. It's time to meet the Riveras," She said as she and her husband went greet their guests. Both Óscar and Felipe followed their parents downstairs.

The Flores family went downstairs to meet the Rivera family. Soon both families were in the same room. The air was tense. Both Martín and Isabella Flores stared at the Riveras with coldness in their eyes. They still couldn't believe that they allowed a marriage to happen between their daughter and this boy. But it was happening, whatever they like it or not. This was their only hope for their family not falling into disgrace.

Adrián cleared his throat before he spoke, "Señor Flores, it's a pleaser to meet you. I hope that our two families will get along with each other," He said, hoping that will lighted things up for everyone.

"Sí. I do hope that nothing will go wrong during the rehearsal. After all, our future dependence on our children," Martín said with coldness.

"We'll be taking tea in the other room. Héctor and our sons will stay here to get to know each other better. Por favor, follow us," Isabella said, leading the way.

With the adults gone, Héctor turn to look at the young children in front of him. Óscar and Felipe Flores were twins and were said to be very close. Knowing that those two will be his brother-in-laws tomorrow, he knew that will have to try to win them over. But he knows it might not be easy. Considering that they will giving looks that told him that they didn't like him very much.

"Hola, muchachos. How are you doing?" Héctor said, hoping that will got them to warm up to him.

But they didn't speak to him. But Héctor got an idea. Sporting a guitar above the fireplace, he took it from it's spot. This actually got them talking.

"You actually play the guitar?" One of the twins said.

"No one in our family can play music." Another said.

"I could teach you two how to play if you want to?" Héctor said kindly. He enjoys playing music for children. Remembering when his parents became too busy to spend time with him, he turn to music to comforted himself.

Soon Héctor played the strings of the guitar, he played very beautifully. The Flores twins were amazed. To hear such beautiful music from as a talented musician. They listen very carefully, taking every sound to hear.

Unknowingly to the three of them, Imelda was done with her hair. She was about to go downstairs to meet her family and her new fiancé, when she heard a guitar playing outside of her room. She grasp. Wondering who was playing that music. The only guitar that she knew of was the one hanging above the fireplace near the front door. Imelda walk out of her room. Heading straight towards where was the music was coming from.

To her surprise, Imelda had find her brothers with a man that she quickly recognized. It was Héctor Rivera. So, it was true that the maids said. He played since beautiful music. Walking downstairs, Imelda quietly went over to Héctor and her younger brothers who were enchanted by his music.

It was seemed that Héctor didn't noticed that someone was coming over his way. Not knowing that Imelda was standing near him. When he almost finished his music, he finally noticed Imelda standing next to him. Startling, he almost drop the guitar. But he managed to caught it. He look up to Imelda.

"Do forgive me," He said.

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**That's it for chapter three, everyone. Don't worry. I'll update it when I can. See you soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

**the fourth chapter here. Héctor and Imelda have finally met. How will it go from?**

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There she was, standing in front of him. Héctor didn't know what to say. He never talk to Imelda since her parents had forbid her from speaking to him when they were younger. He had always saw her from afar, seeing her from a distance. Admitting, Héctor had always had a crush on Imelda Flores but he could never had the courage to talk to her. Mostly do to her strong willed personality.

Héctor had seen when she took off her own shoes to slap many men that tried to count her. But many of those men would always that she'll make a perfect wife or she has the perfect birthing hips to bare sons. But they all end the same, with Imelda hitting them with her shoe. From what Héctor heard, her parents would harshly scold her for being too much of a strong woman.

Héctor wondered why did Martín Isabella Flores agreed to marry off their daughter to someone who is the son of new money. They could have marry her off to someone out of town who didn't know about Imelda's strong willed personality. But from what he heard from the villagers, they were very desperate to have money again that they agreed to a match between their daughter and him.

"You played beautifully," Imelda said. That was first thing that she had ever said to him. Imelda complement him on his music. This made him blush.

"Gracias," He said as he put the guitar back above the fireplace. Honestly, Héctor didn't know what to say to her. Afraid that he might offend her somehow, "Sorry if I was touching your family's guitar without your permission, Señorita Flores," Héctor said, rubbing his arm nervously.

"I was just giving these little ones a show before the rehearsal," He said.

Both Óscar and Felipe look at their sister and nodded. Héctor Rivera indeed played for them. Seeing that their sister's groom too be was a alright guy, the twins decided to lay off him. But that still won't mean that they like him already. He'll have to prove that he is indeed worthy of marrying their big sister.

Seeing Héctor played music for her younger brothers, Imelda felt a bit relax to see him being a kind person indeed, "Mamá won't me play or be near the guitar. Guitars are imapropiada for a young lady she says," Imelda said. She knew that this is her chance to talk to Héctor. Seeing him being all nervous in front of her was telling that he was a shy young man.

"Well, you should try to sing maybe. I'm sure that you have lovely singing voice, Señorita Flores," Héctor said.

"Perhaps, do to the circumstance, you can just call me Imelda," She said. Which it was true. Hearing him calling her "Señorita" was weird, they were getting married tomorrow.

"Sí, Imelda," Héctor said as he played with his tie.

"Sí, Héctor," Imelda also said.

The twins also decided to introduce themselves. After seeing their future brother-in-law wasn't a bad person, the twins are willing to gave Héctor a chance.

"I'm Óscar Flores," Óscar said.

"I'm Felipe Flores," Felipe said.

Happy to see both her brothers and fiancé getting along, Imelda felt much more calmer than earlier this morning. She was glad that she was marring someone this kind and caring. Imelda even felt this was one of the few things that she'll ever felt grateful towards her parents.

Imelda look at the old family guitar that had been hanging there for many years now. No one had ever played it. It was just there for show. But hearing Héctor played it, it almost sounded like the guitar was crying of happiness.

"Since I was a little girl, I've dreamt of my wedding day," Imelda said, looking back at Héctor, "I always hoped to find someone that I was deeply in love with, someone who respected me, someone to share the rest of my life with," She know didn't why she was telling him this, Imelda felt that she was safe with Héctor, "Silly, isn't?" She said.

"Sí, sí," Héctor said. But he quickly realize what he just said, "No, no! That's not silly at all," He said. While he was apologized, he accidently knock over a small flower vase that holding a marigold in it. Although, it didn't fell on the floor, the flower did fell out of the vase, "I'm so sorry for that," Héctor said. Thinking that he must of messed up with her by acting like a fool.

But Imelda had a smile on her beautiful face. She picked up the marigold, smelling its' beautiful scent. She turn to Héctor. He return the smile. Imelda gave her fiancé the flower, he took it. The twins were gaging the scene before them. Their sister was liking Héctor already.

"What's going around here!" An angry voice said. It was Isabella Flores. The older woman was not happy that her daughter had met her fiancé by herself.

Óscar and Felipe quickly hide behind their sister. When their mother is angry, she was very scary.

"You two shouldn't be alone together! The rehearsal has began. Everyone is waiting in the other room," Isabella said. She turn around, " Come at once," The tone of her voice clearly telling them it was time. Hopefully, things will go smoothly.

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**Okay, that was it. By the way, should I have them say the vows from Corpse Bride? It would make sense. But tell me in your reviews. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, everyone! I'm back for another chapter! I've decided to have the vows here after all. It wouldn't be the same if the vows won't be here with us. Now it's show time.**

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"Señor Rivera, from the beginning, again."

It's been three hours since Héctor and his parents arrived at the Flores manor. Things were supposed to go smoothly. But they didn't go as plan. Héctor kept messing up his wedding vows. Even though he had practiced them at home, he was still nervous all the same. Trying to remember the words of the vows was hard enough, but actually trying to say them out loud was way harder.

Unfortunately, Padre Luis wasn't a patient man. He would harshly told off Héctor when the young man mess up a word. Padre Luis was known in Santa Cecilia as very strict man who had no sense of humor whatsoever.

"With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never be empty, For I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way into darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine," Padre Luis said, saying the vows for the 180th times, "Let's try it again, shall we?" He said seriously. He was quite furious with Héctor for keep messing up his vows.

"Sí. Sí, señor," Héctor said, holding his candle. Both he and Imelda were standing in front of a table that had the candles for the wedding tomorrow, "With this candle..." He said. Trying to put the small fire on his candle. But it didn't light it up. In fact, the fire look like that it was enjoying messing with Héctor when he failed to light his candle no matter how hard he tries to, "This candle..." He kept trying to put the fire on it, "This candle..."

"Should I go up there and so it for him, mi amor?" Sofía said worrying for her beloved son.

"No, he must do it himself, Sofía. We can't keep babying him forever," Adrián said. He know that the Flores won't take Héctor seriously if they seen them always helping him with the simplest things. Adrián even know that that he and his wife won't always be there their son when they leave this world someday.

Héctor had managed to get the fire on his candle at last. Both Óscar and Felipe had almost fallen asleep in boredom during the three hours that they been in this room. But their mother had managed to keep them awoke these three hours. The twins were bored since Héctor kept messing up. But then they had high hopes when they saw the small flame on his candle. Maybe it'll finally be over.

"With this candle..." Héctor said laughing that he finally got it right. But he accidently blew the flame from his candle, causing everyone in the room to groan. Héctor didn't mean to waste everyone's time. He really tried to sy his wedding vows right, but the pressure that everyone had on him made it hard for him to remember everthing in his vows.

"Continued!" Padre Luis shouted.

Just then, the front door bell rang. Wondering who could it be, Martín turned to his butler, "Por favor, get the door, Nicolás," He said. Nicolás walk out the room to see who it was.

"Let's just pick up with the candle part," Padre Luis said.

Imelda placed her candle above Héctor's, her flame had placed on his candle, "Right, señor," He said.

Nicolás return with a card in his hand, "A Ernesto de la Cruz, señor," He said as he hand over the card to Martín who look at it with interest. Martín gave his wife the card to see if she heard of this man. She also had the same interest of this man as well.

A man who appeared in his early 20s entered the room. He was tall and muscular with a mustache on his handsome face, "I have a habit to arrive early. It would seems that I'm a day early for the wedding," Ernesto said smiling.

Martín look at his wife again, "Is he from your side of the family?" He ask her.

Isabella look at the card in her hand that her husband gave her, "I can't recall. Nicolás, grab a chair for Señor de la Cruz," She said.

And with that, Nicolás placed a chair behind Ernesto. Ernesto calmly set himself on it. He look at both Héctor and Imelda, "Do carry on," He said. If what he heard, things will go in his favor.

"Let's try it gain, Señor Rivera," Padre Luis said, praying that the Rivera boy will get it right this time.

"Sí. With this..." Héctor said but forgot the last line again.

"Hand," Padre Luis said annoyed.

"Sí. With this hand, I will..." Héctor took Imelda's hand into his own. Walking up a little to the table, a little too close to it. He accidently walked into it. This caused everyone to groan again.

"Tres pasos! Tres! Do you not wish to be married, Señor Rivera!" Padre Luis shouted at the young man.

"No. No," Héctor said.

"You don't want to?" Imelda said. She was sadden to hear that her fiancé didn't want to get married. But she knows that she couldn't forced Héctor into marring her if he didn't want to.

Upon realizing what he, Héctor tried to fix things on what he said, "No, I do want to get married. That what I actually meant," Héctor said.

"Pay attraction! Have you even remember to bring the ring?" At this point, Padre Luis doubted that the Rivera boy would bring the ring at the rehearsal.

"The ring? Of course," Héctor said, reaching in his coat to bring out the ring that he had for Imelda for tomorrow. Taking it, Héctor held it between his two fingers. But the ring had slipped out of his grip. It fell on the floor, rolling away from it's owner.

"I'm so sorry!" Héctor said as he chase after it. The ring went under the dress of Isabella Flores. She gasped as her future son-in-law went over her dress tp grab the ring.

"I've got it!" Héctor said. He completely forgotten that he dropped his candle on the floor to search for his missing ring. The candle caught the dress on fire.

"My dress on fire!" Isabella shouted in terror. Everyone tried to put out the fire.

Héctor tried to put out the fire that he caused but Martín had pushed away from his wife. "Stay from my wife, boy!" He said angrily.

Ernesto had placed wine on the fire. With a smirk, he placed the cup back on the table. The Flores couple look at with wonder since the man had managed to stay so calm while everyone else was panicking.

"Enough!" This wedding can't take place, until he's ready!" Padre Luis yelled.

"Por favor, Padre Luis. My son is just nervous for the wedding," Sofía said.

"He's still getting use to the idea of becoming a man, señor," Adrián said.

While his parents were talking to everyone in the room, Héctor slipped out of the room. The only ones to noticed him sneaking away were Imelda and her brothers. They felt sorry for Héctor, knowing that he didn't have a say in this marriage. Ernesto had also noticed that Héctor left.

"Well, he's quite the caught, isn't he?" He said. Imelda look at him, not trusting this man that appeared of nowhere.

* * *

_Outside of Santa Cecilia_

Héctor had took out his ring for Imelda and the flower that she gave him early this day, "Ay, Imelda. She must think that I'm such a fool," He said.

"This day couldn't get worst."

"Did you hear that the rehearsal was a disaster?"

"Sí. That Rivera boy set Señora Flores' dress on fire."

Héctor sigh. It just got worst. He walk away from the town and into the woods. However, what he didn't know, is that he'll met someone that will change his life forever. Even if it was by accident.

* * *

**This chapter is finished. But the story will continued. **


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm back, everyone! This chapter is finally here! So let's get started!**

* * *

Héctor walked in the woods for a good while now. Although, he knows that it might have been a few minutes now. He just needed to get his head around the game. Tomorrow he's getting married, he needed to stop acting a child, and start acting like an adult.

"It's just a few, simple vows," Héctor said. He absolutely wanted to get his vows correct, "With this hand, I will cut your wine," He realized what he just said. Shaking his head, angry at himself for now mixing his vows up, "No."

Héctor kept walking deeper into the woods. He seems that he didn't know that he was getting close to the town's cemetery. But he didn't care. Right now, Héctor was more focused on his wedding vows. Meeting Imelda had made him wanted to become a better man. Seeing that she was a kind and sweet person, Héctor wanted to share his life with her. That's if she even wanted to have anything to do with him now. While Héctor was practicing his vows, a group of crows were watching him. It almost look like that they were watching him very closely for some reason.

"With this hand, I will cut your fin... Oh, no. I horrible it this. Imelda will probably won't have anything to do with me after this night," He said.

"With this candle, I will... I will.. I will... I will set your mother on fire," Héctor sigh. This was hopeless. Who was he kidding? Imelda's parents will no doubt call off their wedding. They'll probably are finding her a better husband right now. Imelda was better off marrying someone that will give her a good life. Héctor set on a log. He rested head on his hands. He took out the ring and the marigold from his suit. Picking the marigold, he smelled it.

Héctor knew that he can't just gave up right now. His father had always tell him one day he'll be a man. This day, he will become a man. A man will get his marriage vows right, even if it kills him. Getting up, Héctor knew that he was already to get serious.

"With this hand, I will left your sorrows. Your cup will be empty, for I will be your wine."

Turning around, Héctor saw a couple of small trees that almost resemble the Flores family, "Señora Flores, you look beautiful this evening. What's that, Señor Flores? You want me to call you Dad. Of course! And I didn't forget you two. I did say could help you both play music," Héctor knew that he was almost ready. There was just one thing that he needed to do before he heads back. The candle and the ring.

"With this candle, I light your way into darkness," He said, taking a stick and breaking it in half. He placed one on top on the other one. Now, there was one more important thing to do now. The ring. Looking around to see if there anything that he could use to practiced on it. Seeing there was a stick sticking out like a hand, he kneed down to it.

"With this ring, I ask you to be mine," And with that, Héctor placed the ring on the stick.

Héctor felt pride that he finally got his vows corrected this time, "I did. I finally did!"

While he was happily celebrity of correcting his vows, the crows were flying around him. This got Héctor's attraction. He was kind of confused of why were birds circling him. Suddenly, he felt something had grabbed his arm. It drugged him in the ground. Although, it was his entire right arm. Héctor felt his heart was beating very fast. He tried to pull his arm up. What ever it was? It didn't want to let go of him. It felt like a hand. It was cold, and boney.

Finally, after his arm out of the ground, Héctor grasped on what he saw. It was a skeleton arm with his ring on its' finger. The hole where the arm came from was getting bigger. It was cracking. Soon, burst open. A figure appeared in front of Héctor from the hole. It was a skeleton. From the looks of it, it had a bridal grown on with a wedding veil coving its' face. Héctor felt his heart stopped when he saw the skeleton. He completely frozen where he was sitting. Not knowing what do, he just sat there, completely there in fear.

The skeleton removed the veil from its' face, revealing it to be very beautiful. She only said one word, but that was enough to make Héctor run, "I do," She said.

Héctor ran and ran as fast as he can. The skeleton bride was chasing him. While he was running, he accidently trip on a rock. But he quickly got right back up. Afraid what will happen if he let's her caught him. Looking back to see that she was still running after him, Héctor didn't see that he was running into a tree. He hit it with only his left eye getting hit. Although, it wasn't too serious. But he didn't have time for that now.

When Héctor saw that Santa Cecilia due to there still light outside. He turn around to see the skeleton was gone. Héctor sigh in relief. Believing that he was now safe. But when he turn around, he saw that the skeleton was right behind him. Héctor slowly walk backwards as she came towards him. He prayed to God to have mercy on him as he felt her boney hands on his shoulders.

"You may kiss the bride."

The next thing Héctor knew, everything became black.

* * *

**The bride is here. Sorry for the cliffhanger. But until next time, see you all soon. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello, everyone! I'm back! Let's get started on the seventh chapter!**

* * *

Héctor saw nothing but darkness. But to be honest, his head hurts. He was probably dreamed the whole thing. Suddenly, Héctor heard voices. They were all over. He could hear them.

"Una nueva llegada." An elderly male voice said.

"He must have fainted." A soft, beautiful, female voice said.

His vision become a bit better. Groaning, Héctor open his eyes, "What happened?" He ask. Héctor then felt a boney hand on the back of his head.

"Are you alright, mi amor?" The female said.

With his vision becoming a bit better, Héctor saw skeletons surrounded him. He grasps when he saw the skeleton that chasing him was in front of him.

"Santa Maria! We got ourself a breather over here, amigos," The elderly looking skeleton that talked earlier said.

Just then, another skeleton appeared in front of Héctor. This was one was a woman with a blue dress and a pink a apron. She pushed the elderly skeleton man away, "Oh Dios Mío! He's too skinny! I make something good for you to eat, niño," She said as she gently caressed Héctor's cheek with the love of a grandmother. Although, Héctor was scared of her.

Suddenly, a little skeleton had showed up in front of the only living man, "He's still soft, Abuelita," The skeleton boy said as he poked Héctor who was already scared at this point. The living man slowly backed away from the group of skeletons. Only felt a wall behind him.

"Miguel, that wasn't very nice. You're scaring the poor man," The elderly skeleton woman said.

"It's quite alright, Elena. I'm sure that Miguel wanted to see him when he heard the news," The skeleton bride said.

"Ay, niña! I'm so happy for you!" The much older woman said, grabbing the bride's face and placed many kisses on it.

"Let's celebrate for the newlyweds, amigo!" Someone said.

Héctor was confused and scared, "Newlyweds?" He ask. What was gong around here?

The skeleton bride happily walked over him, "In the woods, you said your vows so perfecta," She said, showing off the ring.

"I did?" Héctor said. He then remembered that he indeed placed the ring on her finger. The ring that was meant for Imelda, "I did," He said, realizing what he had done.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Héctor said, banging his head on the table that near him. He prayed that this was a really bad dream. Praying that he must have falling asleep when he was in the woods. But the pain on his forehead had told him that it was real.

"We should stop him from hurting himself more?" Miguel asked. Clearly worrying for the living man that hitting his head on the table.

But before anyone could say, two skeletons had accidently bumped into each other, causing their bones to fall apart and went all over. This caused Héctor to backed away further from the skeleton bride and the other two. He saw that of the skeletons had a sword. Grabbing it from its' owner, Héctor pointed to all the skeletons in the room with him. However, they were unfazed by this. Since they already dead anyway.

"I need some questions now," Héctor demanded. This caused everyone too kind of confused.

"Answers. I think that you mean answers, mi amigo," A skeleton said. Kindly correcting Héctor.

"Sí, answers. Gracias. I need answers. What's gong on here? Where am I? Who are you?" He said. Deep down, Héctor was very scared. But he had to remember his father's words of being a man when the time had came. Right now, this was the time.

The skeleton look down for a moment, not sure how to explain to him, "Well, that's kind of a long story?" She said.

"What a story it is," Another said, joining in. It was a skeleton that had simple clothes and a jazz hat on, "A tragic tale of romance, passion and a murder most terrible," He said.

"This going to good," A skeleton said to Héctor, taking his sword back from the living man while showing no grudged of what so ever.

Soon music began to play. Everyone begin to surrounded Héctor and his new "wife".

_"Hey, give me a listen, you __skeletons of cheer"_

_"At least, of those of you, who still got an ear" _

_"I'll tell you a story that will make your skeleton's cry" _

_"Of our own judiciously lovely skeleton bride!" _

The light that shinnying on the singing skeleton was now on the skeleton bride who look extremely sad.

(Chores)

_"__Die, die we all pass away"_

_"W__e don't wear a frown 'cause it's really okay"_

_"__You might try 'n' hide"_

_"__And you might try 'n' pray"_

_"__But we all end up the remains of the day"_

_"__Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah"_

_"__Yeah yeah yeahhh"_

Héctor soon found himself joining the music. The song soon made him forget about the fear that he felt not too long ago.

_"__Well our girl was a beauty known for miles around"_

_"__Til__l a mysterious stranger came into town"_

_"__He was plenty good lookin', but down on his cash"_

_"And our poor little baby, she fell hard and fast"_

_"When her daddy said no, she just couldn't cope"_

_"So our lovers came up with a plan to elope"_

(Chores)

_"__Die, die we all pass away"_

_"__But don't wear a frown 'cause it's really okay"_

_"__And you might try and hide"_

_"Y__ou might try and pray"_

_"__But we all end up the remains of the day"_

_"__Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah"_

_"__Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah"_

_"__Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah"_

_"__Yeah yeah yeah"_

Héctor had completely forgotten that he was scared of this skeletons, having fun while playing music had always calm down. He and the little skeleton boy Miguel were playing music together.

"Not bad for a living guy," Miguel said.

"Not so bad yourself, gordito," Héctor said.

_"Oh, that's right"_

_"Okay. Oh, yeah"_

_"Come on, boys, pick it up"_

_"Yeah. Like it"_

_"Okay, Chancy, take it"_

_"Yeah. Yeah! That's nice"_

_"Yeah!"_

While Héctor was playing music, the skeleton bride looked at him with happiness. Seeing that he was finally enjoying himself.

_"So they conjured up a plan to meet late at night"_

_"They told not a soul, kept the whole thing tight"_

_"Now, her mother's wedding dress fit like a glove"_

_"You don't need much when you're really in love"_

_"Except for a few things, or some told"_

_"Like the family jewels and a satchel of gold"_

_"Then next to the graveyard by the old oak tree"_

_"On a dark foggy night at a quarter to three"_

_"She was ready to go, but where was he?"_

Suddenly, the lights had turn off. Héctor was confused. But the looks on the skeletons had told him that the murder part was coming.

"And then?"_  
_

_"She waited"_

"And then?"

_"There in the shadows, was it her man?"_

"And then?"

_"Her little heart beat so loud"_

"And then?"

_"And then baby, everything went black"_

For awhile, it was dark. Héctor knew that it was a moment of silence for the skeleton bride. Her story was indeed sad. To have fallen in love with someone whom might have been the one. Only to have them murdered you when you at least expected.

_"Now when she opened her eyes she was dead as dust"_

_"Her jewels were missing and her heart was bust"_

_"So she made a vow lying under that tree"_

_"That she'd wait for her true love to come set her free"_

Wait? True love? Héctor was indeed told that he made his vows. But it wasn't made for her. He had no idea that there was a dead bride down there in the first place. And can the living even marry the dead?

_"When out of the blue comes this groovy young man"_

_"Who vows forever to be by her side"_

_"And that's the story of our own skeleton bride" _

Suddenly, Héctor felt himself pushed towards the skeleton bride who held out her hand towards him. When he came to her, she grabbed his hand and spanned around with him while giving Héctor a loving look on her face. When he tried to break free, he snipped her arm off. Héctor give her arm back. While the song was wrapping up, the living man tried to sneak out.

(Chores)

_"Die, die we all pass away"_

_"But don't wear a frown cause it's really okay"_

_"And you might try and hide"_

_"And you might try and pray"_

_"But we all end up the remains of the day"_

When the song had ended, the skeleton bride had notice that her new "husband was nowhere to be found.

"Elena, have seen where Héctor has gone?" She asked the elderly skeleton woman.

"I'm afraid that I haven't, niña," Elena said.

"I'm sure that he's still around here. Dante and Pepita will help us," Miguel said.

* * *

**Okay, that's it, everyone. But the story is not over yet. Miguel and his grandmother are here! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello, everybody. I'm back to up update this story.**

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the Land of the Living. Héctor's parents were still at the Flores manor. When they noticed that their son had left, both Adrián and Sofía had to explain to the Flores that their son can get nervous when he's under stress. Surprising, Martín and Isabelle Flores had seemed to have cool down after Héctor had accidently burned Isabelle's dress earlier today.

Although, it was probably because of the Rivera family still had money. So they very desperate to give their future son-in-law another chance to prove himself after the whole candle fiasco. It has been nearly two hours since the Rivera boy was last seen. According to some the staff, Héctor was seen walking into the woods that lead to the town's cemetery. Worrying that something must had happen to their beloved son, the Riveras sent a search party to look for their son. Adrián wanted to join the search for his son, but he couldn't leave his wife while she was worrying sick, so he decided to stay by her side and wait for any news on Héctor's whereabouts. Adrián prayed that his son was safe and alive. Not knowing what to do if he wasn't.

Soon, rain began to fall down from the sky. The weather was sunny and bright earlier, but now it was getting a little cold outside.

Imelda was looking at the window, hoping to see a familiar figure outside. But there was no one there. She was currently watching over her younger brothers. They were busy playing with their toys to listen on what was going on. But they knew that something must have happen to Héctor Rivera since he didn't came home after he messed up the wedding rehearsal.

The Flores twins notice that their sister was looking at the window that was next to them. Óscar and Felipe knew that their beloved sister was worried about her fiancé. To be honest, the twins were also worried about him. He was a fun guy to be around. Héctor wasn't like the other men that only wanted to make Imelda a trophy wife, he was genuinely friendly with them. He even treated Imelda with respect and even apologized after he said that Imelda wanting to marry for love was silly. Not every guy was like that. So, the twins felt that their older sister might had found someone who will care about her as much as they do.

But since Héctor went missing, everyone was getting more worried by the second. Even their parents were getting worried. But wasn't because that they felt bad for scaring off Héctor, it was because they still needed him to marry off their daughter to him. He was the only man in the whole town that was willingly to marry Imelda Flores. Héctor was sadly still their meal ticket that was going to keep them of the streets.

"Imelda, come away from the window. Bring your brothers with you," Isabelle said. She was with her husband and the Riveras.

"Vamos," Imelda said quietly as she lead her brothers to where their parents and gusts were.

The four adults were having tea. No news of Héctor's whereabouts yet. This was getting too much Sofía who couldn't bear the thought if something had terrible had happen to her precious baby. But she must remain strong for her son's sake. Sofía tried to distract herself by telling stories about Héctor when he was younger.

"Héctor used be afraid of the dark when he was a little boy. He used to wet himself when his candle went out," Sofía said.

Imelda couldn't help but smile at herself after hearing that. She prayed that her fiancé was alright. He was so different from the other men that tried to marry her. Héctor was sweet and kind. His music was very beautiful.

A knock on the door had gotten everyone's attraction.

"Entrar," Martín said.

Imelda held her breath, thinking that Héctor had return. Hoping that he's more confident with his vows than before. Imelda blushed at the idea. Óscar and Felipe had noticed her blush, and gaged at seeing her acing like this.

However, when the door happen, it wasn't Héctor Rivera. It was Ernesto de la Cruz who was smiling for some reason. It was almost like he was celebrating something. Both Óscar and Felipe stood in front of their sister. Like Imelda, the twins didn't trust this stranger who just showed up out of nowhere in their house which was scary. But what made it worst, their parents had seemingly gotten along with de la Cruz despite not knowing anything about this man. They have even given him a room for the night. A complete and totally stranger is sleeping in their house with them.

"Oh, Señor de la Cruz, buena noches," Isabelle said smiling. Ernesto de la Cruz was everything that she and her husband wanted in a son-in-law, "I'm trusting that the room is to your liking,"

Ernesto nodded, "Sí, Señora Flores. It was very generous of you and your wonderful husband to let me spend the night here," He said charmingly.

The Flores children couldn't believe that their parents were falling for this charms. Treating him like he was family. According to card, Ernesto de la Cruz was an extremely wealthy man from old money. He likes the type of man that Martín and Isabelle would no doubt try to marry their daughter off. But fortunately, Imelda was already engaged to Héctor Rivera who was a kindhearted man. Plus, her parents had always say that when their family made promises, they tend to keep them until they're fulfill. Which Imelda was glad about that about her family.

"But I'm afraid that I'm here for some sad news for you all. I can't bring myself to do it. But I brought someone here who can," Ernesto said. Stepping aside, a man who appeared in his early fifths enter the room.

"Por favor, tell them what you told me, amigo," Ernesto said.

The man nodded, "I saw your son at the outskirt of Santa Cecilia at sunset," He said.

Hearing that Héctor was the outskirt of the town, Adrián and Sofía walk over to the man, asking him where was he now and if he was okay.

"I actually don't know where he is now. But there was also a woman there with him," The man said.

Hearing that was another woman with Héctor, Imelda felt her heart was breaking into many pieces. Óscar and Felipe look at their sister after hearing news.

"Qué? Are you sure that was our son? Héctor never talks to other women before," Sofía said. She didn't want to believe that her son was with some woman that she didn't know about.

"Sí. I'm afraid that what this gentleman here was describing was in fact your son, Señora Rivera," Ernesto said.

Sofía refused to believe it, "My son will never, ever do something like that! He's a kindhearted young man who respects women!" She said.

Ernesto, seeing that his work here was done, turn to the man and told to leave. The man nodded and excused himself.

"Do call me if you need my help, Señor Flores. In anyway," Ernesto said as he slowly closed the door behind him.

"Ay, Martín, this a disaster!" Isabelle said. But she clearly showed no sympathy towards the Riveras.

"Mi amor?!" Sofía said. She was shock to hear such things of her son. But still refused to believe it. Her husband also didn't believed it.

"Don't worry, Sofía. We'll found him," Adrián said, comforting his wife.

"This awful! That boy is going to embarrassed us all!" Isabelle said. But when she said. That was crossing the line.

"Perdóneme! Do not talk about my son that way!" Sofía said angrily. She loves her son more than anything.

"If you will treat our son that way, then the wedding is off," Adrián said.

Soon the Riveras left the manor. Their son was important right now. Imelda was really impressed by Héctor's parents had told off hers. No one had ever done before. She hoped that they find him real soon.

* * *

**That's it for this chapter. Before writing this story, I always to make Héctor's parents more caring, loving, if not, flawed. At least his parents are better than Victor's. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello, my beloved readers! I'm back for another chapter! So sorry that I haven't update this in awhile. I took a break from writing stories but I'm back now. Let's get started.**

* * *

Back to the Land of the Dead, the skeleton bride was still looking for Héctor. With the help with Miguel and his grandmother Elena, she searched for her new "husband". He appeared to have been scared. But the skeleton bride believed that he was just nervous of just getting married. After all, they had just gotten married, so he was still getting used to it. She had asked other skeletons to see if they had seen a living man on the street. Surprisingly, they all said that he went to the Plaza. Thanking them, she and the other two went to Plaza that many musicians had gone to play their songs.

Young Miguel would always joined them whenever he finished with his chores that were given to him by his grandmother Elena. Back when grandmother and grandson were alive, Miguel wanted to be a musician more than anything. He build his own guilar out of things that he could found since he could never afford one. Because he and his beloved gramdmother were very poor. He used to lived in a small village with his grandmother and older cousin Rosa.

Elena used ran a shoe store where she made shoes. However, since the Revolution War began, the business become hard to keep. Elena had tried to keep her shoe store from closing down. She was afraid that if her business was to shutdown, her grandchildren Miguel and Rosa would starve. The business was the very thing that she managed to supported her grandchildren.

Unfortunately, the war had finally caused Elena her business. Miguel had seen that the Revolution had caused the business that his grandmother worked so hard to be shutdown. Miguel had made a promised to himself that he'll become a very famous musician with his handmade guitar. One that was very wealthy to support both his grandmother and cousin so they won't have to work ever again.

But that dream never came true. One night, a group of dangerous bandits came to their village and took everything that they hold dear. The bandits even murdered everyone in the village so the authorities won't be able to found them.

Poor Miguel never got the chance to preformed on a stage like an actual performer since he'll always remain a little kid in the Land of the Dead. But he, Elena, and Rosa still all had each other. The three of them had managed to build a new home in the afterlife. They even made friends with the skeletons, especially with the skeleton bride.

"Héctor, mi amor, where are you?" The skeleton bride said as she looked for him.

"How can we lose the only living man in the Land of the Dead?" Miguel asked. Just then, he heard barking. Looking up, he saw his alebrije dog Dante with the giant winged cat Pepita. The two flying abelrijes landed in front the three skeletons.

"Dante!?" Miguel said as he ran to his dog. who look just as happy as he is.

"Sit," Miguel said.

With that, Dante obeyed.

"Down," The boy said again.

Dante layed on his stomach.

"Roll over," Miguel said once again.

Dante only rolled onto his back.

"Shake," Miguel once more said.

Dante shook his entire body.

"Fist bump," Miguel said for the last time.

However, this time Dante didn't seemed obey the boy. Instead, Miguel simply brought his fist onto Dante's.

"Dante, Pepita, it's so wonderful to see you two again!" The skeleton bride said as she petted Dante's head affectionately.

"I have some wonderful news; I've finally gotten married!" She said happily.

Dante barked happily and Pepita nuzzle the bride's head affectionately. The skeleton bride showed the ring that Héctor had given her as the sign of their "marriage".

"Sí. We all heard the news, prima. We're all so happy for you," A young female voice said. It was Rosa. The older granddaughter of Elena and cousin of Miguel. She played the violin and preformed on stage to show off her talents.

"Gracias, Rosa. I'm so happy that I've finally have someone that was willingly to marry me," The bride said. Deep down, she was sad that it took this long for someone to say their vows. But it was worth the time.

"Rosa, mija, please help us Héctor. He seemed to run off someone," Elena said.

"Sure. I actually want to see your new husband. He better treats you, prima," Rosa. She and the skeleton bride had always treated each other like sisters. The skeleton bride was taken in by their family and was treated as such.

Miguel soon got an idea, "We can use Héctor's scent to track him down," He said.

"What a wonderful idea, mijo," Elena said.

The beautiful bride bended down to Dante to let him smell the ring on her finger. With the scent caught in his nose, Dante soon followed the scent. He quickly got up and pointed with his nose. Héctor was trying get away before being spotted by them.

"There he is! There he is!" Miguel shouted.

Héctor quickly tried to run before his new "wife" had caught up to him. He was trying to found a way to get back to the Land of the Living and back to his parents and Imelda. He hoped that they were alright.

Pepita had landed in front of the man. Her face was clearly showed of disapproval of him trying to leave his "bride' when they had just gotten "married".

Héctor screamed and ran to the other way. He managed to run into an ally where the alebrije couldn't get to him.

"Héctor, mi amor, dónde estás?"

He could hear the skeleton bride calling out to him. He felt bad for running away after hearing her story. But she still took him from his home and on the eve of his real wedding to his real bride Imelda. Plus, he doesn't even know her.

Thinking that he must have lost her, Héctor took a deep breath to relax a little.

"Just got married, huh? I'm still waiting for husband to join me here," A skeleton woman said who just had appeared behind Héctor. She unintentionally startled Héctor who accidentally knocked her hand off.

"Sorry," Héctor said. He give her hand back before running away again.

"He went that way!" The skeleton woman shouted, altering the skeleton bride and her friends.

The skeleton bride went to the direction that Héctor went.

"Mi amor, dónde estás?" The skeleton called out to him.

Héctor run as fast as he can. He stop when he came to a wall. However, he noticed that some bricks were sticking out.

"Dead end," Héctor said to himself.

"Héctor, dónde has ido?!" The skeleton bride shouted, alarming Héctor that she was getting close.

Without any choice, Héctor climbed the bricks that were sticking out. He prayed that the big alebrije cat didn't noticed him. When he saw that getting close to the top, Héctor hoped that he see a way to get back home from up this high.

When he managed to reached the top, Héctor tired to grabbed onto something that will help him to get on the edged. However, when he did grabbed onto something, Héctor looked up and saw that it was his new "wife", smiling at him.

"You could have used the stairs, silly," The skeleton bride said as she lifted Héctor up. She was surprising strong despite being a living skeleton.

"Is it the view beautiful, mi amor? It takes my breath," She said as she twirled around with happiness.

"Well, it would if I had any," She joked. Laughing away as she went to a nearby bench.

Héctor felt a bit nervous. This was awkward to say the least. Since it was just the two of them now, Héctor had a better look at her. She was indeed very beautiful, and very young looking. In fact, she looked much younger than Héctor himself. Héctor was 18 while this girl looked like a teenager. His new "bride" appeared to be around the age of 15-16. She was just a child when she was murdered. Her dress was torn apart a little and her bones won't exactly the whitest. Her skull had markings like the other skeletons he had seen. She had broken hearts on her cheek and wilted roses on her forehead.

Just then, Héctor heard a roar behind him. He saw the two alebrijes with three skeleton on the cat one. He recognized the skeleton boy and the old woman from before but he didn't recognized the girl that was with them. They landed in front of the "newlyweds" and rushed over them. The boy skeleton quickly hugged the bride as she returned it with love.

"So this the guy that you married, prima, huh?" The girl said as she didn't impressed with Héctor.

"Rosa, be nice to him. He just got here," Elena said.

Héctor didn't know what to say. His new "marriage" to a skeleton was going to be a problem. How can he explain this to parents and Imelda that he accidentally married a dead girl. Since he's here, he could at least got to know her name.

"Now that we're married. What's your name?" Héctor asked. The skeleton bride already knew his name, so it was only fair that he could at least knows hers.

"Well, that's a great way to start a marriage," Rosa whispered to Miguel who laughed a little. They were hushed by their grandmother.

"It's Socorro," The bride said as she tucked a piece of her hair behind her.

"Socorro, that's a lovely name," Héctor said.

Socorro and Héctor stared at each other a few minutes. The skeleton family of three was standing there watching them.

"Ay, amor joven," Elena said.

Miguel gaged at the sight before him. Rosa had a dreamy look on her face. Marriage was something that she always wanted to have when she was a little girl.

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**Okay, folks. That's it for this chapter. I'll be back. Also, Socorro is not Mama Coco or Miguel's little sister if that was you were wondering. She's an oc. Don't worry, the main pair is Héctor and Imelda. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello, everyone! Back to update this story. Thank you so much for all the love and support that you all have been giving me. Again, I love Coco and Corpse Bride. The movies have some similarities but differences as well. Anyway, let's get into this story, shall we? I don't own anything but my ocs. All characters from Coco belong to their rightful owners.**

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It was been an hour since Héctor had come with term that he married a skeleton. Socorro was very nice for someone that was dead. She also appeared to be very popular in the Land of the Dead. Everywhere they go, skeletons of all would come and say congratulations to her and Héctor. Many of male skeletons had often pulled Héctor to the side and say that if he hurts Socorro in any way, the living man will have to answered to them.

Of course, Socorro had only said that those men were just trying to make sure that she was happy with her new "husband". However, Héctor still wanted to found a way to get back home in time for his wedding. His parents were no doubt worrying sick about him. Imelda was probably thinking that her fiancé had left her on the eve of their wedding.

But the young man wanted nothing more than marry Imelda Flores with all his heart. Surely there has to be a way to get to back to the Land of the Living. Originally, Héctor had tried to used the Marigold Bridge that the skeletons had used on Día de los Muertos. But he learned that the bridge was only be able to work on Día de los Muertos. So Héctor was back to think how he can return to his family and loved ones without anything that make him permanently stay in the Land of the Dead.

_"Fine, fine. Who cares? Dumb flower bridge," _Héctor thought to himself.

Currently, Héctor was at Miguel's house. It was big enough for three people to live there. It was very nice and conformal. It may have not be like his own house but was still nice and homey. Elena had invited him to stay at her house until he finds a way to support him and Socorro.

Speaking of Socorro, she was outside of the house playing music with Miguel and Rosa. Héctor was watching from a window. She had a very lovely singing voice. The giant alebrije cat Pepita were listening to the skeleton bride's singing. The other alebrije Dante was somewhere else. According to Socorro, Dante was checking on a very close friend of the family.

"Mi amor, is something the matter?" Socorro asked, stopped singing to look at her "husband'.

Héctor sighed. He might as well tell about his family, "I'm thinking about my parents. They must be worried about me," He said.

Socorro thought for a moment, before asking her "husband", "Oh, then where do they live? Do they live near here? We can asked the Department of Family Reunions of where we can found them," Socorro said.

Héctor waited for a minute to finally tell her that his parents won't in the Land of the Dead, "Actually, they're still among the living, Socorro," He said, rubbing is right arm.

"Oh, that could be a problem," Socorro said in disappointment. She actually wanted to meet her "in-laws".

"Héctor, do you think that you parents would have approved of me?" Socorro asked.

Héctor looked at his "wife" for a few minutes. Truth be told, he had no idea if his mother would have liked the idea of her son marrying a dead girl at all. Sofía Rivera would have wanted her son to be married to a young woman of fine status. Like Imelda.

However, before Héctor could tell Socorro, a barked was heard. It was Dante. The alebrije dog stopped in from Miguel. Dante had grabbed onto Miguel's leg and tried to drag him to somewhere else.

"What is it, boy?" Miguel asked.

"Ay, Dante, how's Chicharrón?" Elena asked worrying. The old skeleton woman had stepped outside of her beloved home once she heard Dante barking.

Dante kept barking like there something bad was going to happen. Héctor didn't knew what was going on but the way dog was behaving wasn't anything good. No doubt that it has something to do with this Chicharrón guy was, he was very close to this family.

Socorro then grasp, as if she figure it out, "Oh, no! Dante, don't tell us that Chicharrón is going to...?" Socorro couldn't bring herself to say it. The young bride knew what was going. Elena and her grandchildren also soon realized what was happening.

"Santa Maria! The time has come for Chicharrón, hasn't it?" Elena said. Sighing, she looked at her grandchildren and went back inside her house to get something.

"Socorro, what's going on? Did something happened?" Héctor asked. He had stepped outside to understand what was happening right now.

"Héctor, a very close friend of ours is not doing well," Socorro explained. She wanted to tell her "husband" more, but she didn't know if he could understand the situation. He was still alive. What was happening was something that only happen to the dead.

"Wait! The dead can get sick?" Héctor asked confusing. Never did the young living man thought that illness could still happen in the Land of the Dead.

"Well, yes and no," Socorro said. She was trying to found the right words to tell her "husband".

"It's really complicated," Rosa said.

Elena soon had back outside. She had a basket that filled with conchas in it, "Vamonos, niños! Tio Chicharrón doesn't enough time! Get on Pepita's back!" Elena said strongly.

"Sí, Abuelita!" Both Rosa and Miguel said, running to Pepita.

"Héctor, could you please come with us? It's important for us if you do," Socorro said.

Héctor nodded. Even though he had no idea of what was happening, Héctor knew he needed to support Socorro and her adoptive family with a friend that was in trouble.

"Of course, Socorro. My father taught me that I should at least be helpful towards everyone that I met," He said.

Soon enough, Héctor and the four skeletons flow into the air on Pepita with Dante behind them.

"So where are we heading?" Héctor asked.

"We're heading to Shantytown. It's place for spirits that don't have a place to go. Where they're nearly..." Rosa wanted to say more but she was hushed by her grandmother.

"Rosa, Héctor will see when we get there, mija," Elena said. She prayed that they aren't too late to Chicharrón before...

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**That's it for this chapter, everyone. If you're wondering what are conchas? They're Mexican sweet breads that have seashells like appearance. Conchas literally means shells. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello, everyone. I'm finally back to update this story after so long. I'm so sorry that I haven't update this story as soon like I promised. But now that I'm back, let's get to this story you all been waiting for. I don't own Corpse Bride or Coco. They all belonged to their rightful owners. I only own my ocs. **

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Héctor and the skeleton family had been riding on the giant alebrije cat for a few minutes. The young man couldn't help but feel that something is going to happen. The skeletons were very worried and scared for someone who is dead like them.

"We're here, niños. Behave while we're here. Un poco de respeto," Elena said to her grandchildren.

"Sí, Abuelita," Rosa and Miguel both said at the same time. Especially since this was a serious time to worry.

Héctor look to where they were heading. It would seem liked an ancient building temple that was build by the natives. There were fading paintings on the walls that looked like skeleton angels. Héctor then heard some music from the other side of the building. His "wife" took a hold on his hand. Socorro gave a little smile to Héctor as a way to comfort him before he see what was on the other side.

Soon, the group made their way to the entrance. Upon entering it, Héctor saw some skeletons hanging around. However, unlike the other skeletons he saw when he came here, their bones were yellow like Socorro. They are look like they've been though hard times. Their clothes even look like they've been torn. However, they all look happy despite their conditions. Héctor couldn't help feel sorry for them.

"Prima Socorro!" They all shouted once they saw her and the others.

_"She's even popular with these skeletons," _Héctor thought to himself as he chuckled a little.

"So, are all this people your family or something, Socorro?" He asked.

Socorro giggle. She couldn't help but feel a little sad that she couldn't be with her own family. After coming to the Land of the Dead, her dead relatives didn't want anything to do with her since she foolishly choose her lover over her family. The poor former bride had no one to comfort her since she was all alone in the Land of the Dead. But fortunately, Socorro had managed to found a family in Elena and her grandchildren. They welcome the skeleton bride into their home without hesitating.

"Actually no. We all like to treat each other like family since some of us don't have a lot family here or don't have one at all," Miguel said.

Héctor nodded. Even without actual family, all of these skeletons had to turn to each other like family. He saw a few skeletons helping each other a few times before coming here.

"Everyone here is considered to be forgotten by the Land of the Living," Rosa said sadly.

This caught Héctor off guard. Forgotten?

"This is where the souls of those who don't have anyone to remember them in the Living world. They don't have photos to put up on ofrendas on Dia de los Muertos. They all come here to be least be with the ones they call family," Elena explain with grime tone.

He knew how much Dia de los Muertos was important. His mother had taught him how they must honored their past loved ones by placing their pictures up ever year. Seeing these skeleton in such conditions, Héctor knew that his mother was right about honoring the dead.

"Prima Elena!" A female voice cried out to Elena.

Elena walk fast over to three skeleton women who cried out to her. All four women hugged each other like they haven't seen each other in awhile.

"Prima Chelo. Tell me, how's Chicharrón doing? Is he still here," Elena asked worryingly.

Chelo and the two other skeleton women look at each other before turning to look at Elena.

Chelo sighed and look at Elena with the same worriedness on her face as well.

"Chicharrón is still here. We don't know how much longer he has, Elena," Chelo said.

"He's still in his bungalow no doubt," Chelo said, pointing over to a rundown house.

Elena thanked her three friends and head over to Chicharrón. It was a good thing that she brought a basket of conchas with her before they left the house. They're Chicharrón's favorite.

Before walking inside the house, the skeleton family say a pray for Chicharrón. Well Héctor didn't understand what was going on, he still said a pray for this Chicharrón person. Since he was an important person to this family.

Socorro walked in quietly. She didn't want to alarmed Chicharrón into thinking they were robbers who came to steal his things in his conditions.

"Tío Chicharrón. We're here," Socorro said quietly.

Coughing could be heard from hammock that was filled with junk in it in front of them. Miguel carefully walk over to the hammock and grabbed the hat that seemed to have been moving on its' own. Revealing a skeleton who looked really tired and old.

"Tío Chicharrón, estás bien? We heard you haven't been feeling well these months," Socorro said worryingly.

Chicharrón merely chuckled. It has been awhile since he saw them. Just this evening, he heard she had finally gotten married at last. He was surprised to hear that her new husband was a living man. Chicharrón thought it was just false rumors. But seeing the living man in person, Chicharrón now knew the rumors were actually true. But before he had a chance to say anything to her, Chicharrón had suddenly felt pain all over his entire body. Matter of fact, his whole body was glowing gold. Which was not a good sign for Socorro and the small skeleton family.

"Tío Chicharrón!" Both Rose and Miguel cried out in fear for the older skeleton man.

Socorro grasp in pure shock when she saw it was indeed true what was happening to him. She turn to Héctor and hugged him tightly. Héctor, who had no idea what was going on, return the hug.

Elena brought her hand over to Chicharrón's. She sigh. She knew it will happen eventually to everyone, including her and grandchildren.

"I'm fading, niños. I could feel it," He said while looking apologetic to the kids.

"Sorry, Elena. I can't eat anything even if I wanted to," Chicharrón said to the woman who was kind to all this time.

"Is there anything we could do for you before it happens?" Socorro asked hopefully.

Chicharrón merely chuckled a little before he handed his guitar to Héctor who looked surprise and shock.

"Your husband could at least play something for me," Chicharrón said smiling.

Héctor was unsure about this but Miguel had gently pushed him forward to the hammock. Taking a deep breath, he turn to see if Chicharrón was comfortable enough.

"Any request, amigo?" Héctor asked.

Chicharrón pulled Héctor to him and whisper the name of the song the former wanted to hear. The young man smiled and did what he was asked. Soon enough, Héctor played the guitar with ease. Everyone in the room listen how the music was played so beautifully. The family alebrijes, Dante and Pepita who had just entered the house, were relax by the sound of the guitar. Héctor soon sing the song.

_"Well, everyone knows Juanita"_

_"Her eyes each different color"_

_"Her teeth struck out and her chin goes in"_

_"And her..." _

Héctor stopped for a mere second when he was at the part that children shouldn't hear. Thinking quickly, he changed the words into something that at least goes with the song.

_"Knuckles drag on the floor"_

"Those aren't the words," Chicharrón pointed out to the living man.

"There are children present," Héctor reminded the skeleton man that Rosa and Miguel were here as well.

_"Her hair is like a briar" _

_"She stands in a bow-legged stance"_

_"And if I weren't so ugly, she'll possibly give me a chance" _

Chicharrón chuckled as he took his hat off. Seemingly happy with the time with he had now.

"Brings back memories. Gracias," Chicharrón said as he closed his eyes.

Soon he began to glow gold. Elena turn her grandchildren's heads away from looking what was left of Chicharrón. Dante whimpered as the friend of the family was no more while Pepita lower her head in respect. Rose cried in her grandmother's arms. Héctor look at with shock. He now knew what they meant that he won't understand by explaining to him. It was better if he saw it himself.

"He has been forgotten. When there's no one in the Living world who remembers you, you disappeared in this world," Socorro said as she looked away from the hammock.

"I'm sorry," That's all Héctor could say to them right now.

Socorro tried to put on a smile for her "husband". She didn't want him to worry about her right now.

"It's okay, mi amour. It happens to everyone eventually," She said.

"Come now, mi amour. There's someone I'll like you to meet," Socorro said as she lead Héctor somewhere else.

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**Thar's it for this chapter. I really hope you guys like this. Again, I'm so sorry that this was late. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello, everyone. Your girl is back here to update this chapter you all have been patently waiting for tp happen. It's here now for you guys to read now. Enjoy the story.**

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Imelda read a book while her brothers play with their toys. The three siblings were in another room from their parents. The book she read was about making shoes, something her mother greatly disapproved of. Isabella had often scolded her daughter for reading such books. She always said that Imelda will have no use for such skills since she was going to marry a man of fine status one day. However, Imelda couldn't help be a little curious on how shoes are made.

But as she read, Imelda couldn't help but thought about her fiancé Héctor. Well, ex-fiancé now since his parents had cut off their engagement after hers had been so disrespectful towards him. She didn't blame them for doing that. At least Adrián and Sofía Rivera love their son more than their chance of becoming elite members among the wealthy.

Nicolás had taken the night an hour ago. However, Imelda had asked him if he could join the search party for Héctor and tell her the news if there was any clues of his whereabouts. Nicolás agreed to do so for her sake.

Imelda prayed for awhile now, deeply worried that something could have happen to Héctor while he was out in the woods early that evening. Lirio had told her that getting over worrying will be no good for her health. Both physically and mentally. The old woman had even told her to try to relax. Saying that Imelda will be no good to Héctor if she's not in good shape if she wants to help find him.

"Well if it isn't the most beautiful girl of Santa Cecilia?" A familiar voice said as he came though the door. It was Ernesto de la Cruz.

Immediately, both Óscar and Felipe quickly stood in front of their older sister just like they did earlier. The twins didn't Imelda to be alone with stranger. They hated how he was giving freedom in the house like he a member of their family. This man clearly was up to something since he so happens to showed up at their sister's wedding rehearsal. And there's the fact that neither of their parents of ever heard of de la Cruz was very scary.

Ernesto himself look kind of annoyed to see the twins. Deep down, he actually hated children. He was displeased when he learned that the Flores family had actual children. But Ernesto had managed to hid this with a charm smile to fool Martín and Isabella Flores to let him stay in their home. However, Ernesto knew that Imelda and her younger brothers won't so easily so fooled by his charms like their parents.

"Señor de la Cruz, buena noches," Imelda said as she put her brothers behind her to protect them just in case something might happen.

Óscar and Felipe still looks at de la Cruz with distrust. No matter how charming he might be, Lirio had always warn them to careful with someone like that. Telling them sometimes they may not always be nice.

"I was on my way to my room when I heard the boys playing," Ernesto said as he approach the siblings.

"Quedarse atrás!" Imelda shout as she took off her shoe, pointing it at de la Cruz as a warning not to come near her and her little brothers.

Ernesto was a little surprise but got over it. He had heard of Imelda of being a strong-willed woman. And they won't kidding. Most women would easily fell for his charms within seconds of being in his present. But Imelda had not fell for his tricks. She was indeed a stubborn girl. He was actually enjoying this about her. He loves a good challenge once in awhile. But she'll be in his web soon enough. She'll be just like the others. After all despite her strong-will, she's still a woman.

"Oh! So sorry for overstepping my boundaries, Señorita Flores," Ernesto said as he took a step back from her and the boys.

"What exactly do you from our family?" Imelda asks while trying to act calm for her brothers' sake.

"Well I don't know what you're talking about, Señorita. I'm just a wealthy man who has been going though Santa Cecile when I heard of your upcoming wedding. Although I was quite disappointed to see your groom is still a mere boy who's going to marry a beautiful woman like yourself," Ernesto said with a smile which it was smack off when Imelda slapped him across his handsome face with her shoe. Much to the enjoyment of her brothers.

"Listen here, Señor de la Cruz. I don't care if you're here to try scheme my parents, but if you do anything to harm us, I'll make you regret you ever stepped foot in this house!" Imelda said strongly.

Ernesto de la Cruz had find himself shaking in his shoes. He had never be afraid of a mere woman before. But Imelda Flores was definitely not a mere woman. She will become his most difficult challenge yet. He never back down from a plan before and he won't start now.

"Buena noches, Señorita Flores. I hope you and your brothers will enjoy your night," Ernesto said as he left the room.

Imelda watch as the man left them. She let out a breath that she held since de la Cruz had entered. She maybe strong-willed, but he's still physically stronger than her. Imelda had no idea what he just wanted from her. But since her little brothers with her, she had to protect them from anything Ernesto could have done to them. She was very grateful that Óscar and Felipe had tried to protect her despite being young boys who were no match for someone like Ernesto.

"Imelda, are you okay?" Felipe asks his sister worryingly.

"Yes, I'm fine, Felipe," Imelda answer.

"That de la Cruz is a creep. He just come in without knocking first," Óscar said while Imelda give him a look to remind him that he and Felipe always do that when they came in her room to play pranks on her.

The twins soon hug their big sister while she merely stroke their hair and smile. She look out at the window. Hoping Héctor was still safe and alive somewhere out there. The young woman took her brothers to their room since it passed their bedtime.

"Vamos you two. It's way passed your bedtime," Imelda said while the twins groaned in annoyance.

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**Thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you guys enjoying reading Imelda interacting with her brothers. Tell me if you guys like how I done Imelda's character. I try to make sure she's in character. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello, everyone. Your girl's back to update this story. For those wondering when will Héctor and Imelda meet again, they'll meet again after this chapter. Thank for reading this story, ladies and gentlemen.**

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Héctor had no idea where was Socorro taking him. She said that there's someone she'll like him to meet. Maybe another close friend of the family? He wouldn't be so surprise to see that it was true. Almost everyone in the Land of the Dead seemed to love Socorro. He and his "wife" were again riding on Pepita since Socorro said that it was a long way to get to this person.

"So, Socorro, tell me about this person we're seeing," Héctor asks her while he try to hold onto her as tightly as he could since he didn't want to fall off.

"He's a good friend of mine ever since I first arrived here," Socorro said with a smile n her beautiful skeleton face.

After being disown by her family in the Land of the Dead, the good friend had helped Socorro looking for some sheltered until she founded a nice place to live at. Elena had kindly took in the poor skeleton bride into her home with her grandchildren. Since then, Socorro was very happy with the small family that took her in as one of their own without a second thought. Her friend, Leonardo, was very glad that she was able to found a home at least.

Seeing that they're finally at their destination, Socorro petted Pepita on the head to let know her they're here. Pepita landed on the ground gently. Both Héctor and Socorro got off of the giant alebrije with Héctor getting off first and offered his hand to the young skeleton bride who happily took his warm hand.

Seeing it was a building that look like it wasn't very busy today and there wasn't much noise coming from the building, Héctor wonder if Socorro's friend work here. He had never been in this kind of place before in his entire life. The only building he could even think of the minute was his father's.

"Come on in, Héctor. Leonardo has been wanting to meet you since he got word you're here," Socorro said as she took him by the arm.

Hearing that this Leonardo person had wanting to meet him, Héctor wonder just who is this person. Seeing the sign of the building, Héctor saw the name this place.

_Departure Agency _

Walking inside the building, Héctor saw many skeletons working. Becoming curious on what this place was actually was, he soon felt this place was very important to everyone in the Land of the Dead.

"Perdóneme, is Leonardo here at this here, señor?" Socorro asks one of the male workers.

"Sí, señorta. He's in his office. He's waiting for you," He said, pointing up to a high floor.

"Gracias," Socorro said.

Walking up the stairs, Héctor was a bit nervous on meeting this guy. He hold no idea why this person wanted to him. Héctor thought that he simply wanted to see if the rumors of Socorro had married a man from the Land of the Living were true. Maybe this was going to tell them that was against the laws of nature for the Living and Dead to marry each other. There's has to be a law about something like that.

Seeing the door that had A113 on it, Socorro lead her "husband" inside the office. Knocking on the door to let Leonardo now they're here.

"Come in," A voice said on the other side.

"Leonardo, we're here," Socorro said as she and Héctor came inside.

The office was kind of messy. There were papers piled up almost everywhere. Héctor and Socorro were careful not to make nay of the papers fall onto the ground. Leonardo did look very busy at the moment, so they both wanted to make sure they didn't make this day stressful for him.

"Socorro, you're finally here, niña," Leonardo said as he look up from his paperwork. He was a very short skeleton with glasses.

"I hope we're not here at a bad time," Socorro said.

"No, not at all," Leonardo said as he got up from his chair and walk over to her and her "husband".

"Where are Elena and her grandchildren by the way?" Leonardo asks her.

"They're back home. Miguel figures Dante wouldn't be allowed in here since you're allergic to dogs," Socorro said as shy try to make sure her wedding dress didn't caught up with any papers.

"But Dante doesn't even have any hair," Héctor said confusedly.

"And I don't any nose. And yet here we are," Leonardo said.

Leonardo soon circled around Héctor and began to observe the young man, making the latter a bit nervous.

"So, this is the living man you're now married to?" Leonardo said, while poking at Héctor's leg in which that made him tickled.

Soon, the short skeleton look at Héctor with seriousness in his eyes. It was like he trying to see if there was something wrong with him.

"Sí. This my husband, Héctor Rivera. Which I guess that will make me Socorro Rivera now," Socorro said with a giggle.

"Yes, I suppose it does, niña," Leonardo said as went back to look at his young friend.

Héctor let out a breath he was holding when the short skeleton was observed him. Guess being the only living man in the Land of the Dead had its' charms with everyone.

"Mi amour, this is Leonardo. He's the Head Clerk here," Socorro said to her "husband".

"My boy, if case you're wondering what is this place, this where the dead first arrive here. The souls came here after leaving the Land of the Living. We make sure the arrive souls are not confuse and scared on what's going. We absolutely make sure the souls will understand they're at a safe place. But we're best known for being able to reunite with their already dead family members here," Leonardo said while he went back to his desk.

Héctor was amazed to hear all that stuff. He wonder when his time comes, he might be able to reunite with Imelda when they see again. Of course, he actually meant when they're both die of old age instead of him staying here until she comes here of old age. He didn't want her to think he left her for someone else.

"It's also where we guard the Marigold Bridge. The only way to that the dead could go to the Land of the Living, but it only works on Día de los Muertos, Señor Rivera," Leonardo said, going though his papers while talk to Héctor.

"Sí, sí, señor," Héctor said while he rubbed his right arm. He didn't want to believe the bridge was only way home. There has to be a way to go back.

"Actually, Leonardo. There's another reason I wanted to bring my husband here as well," Socorro said as she walk towards the short skeleton.

"Oh, and what will that be, Socorro?" Leonardo asks in curious.

"I was wondering if there is another way to go to the Living World instead of the Marigold Bridge," She said, hoping there is a way to meet her in-laws.

"Niña, there so much bad people who will be scared upon seeing the sight of you," Leonardo said gently.

"There's must something in your papers that could show us how," Socorro said, not giving up yet.

"I don't know. It just not natural, Socorro," The short skeleton said.

"Por favor, Leonardo. There's must something you could do for us," The skeleton bride said, hoping her friend would indeed help them both.

Leonardo sigh. Knowing Socorro won't give up on something she wanted. Just like she refused to give up on waiting to her true love to marry her under that tree she was murdered.

The short skeleton man went over a piled of papers and began to look over to found what he was looking for. Humming to himself while he work. Founding what he was looking for, Leonardo open a window and let an alebrije bird inside his office. Petting it before it laid an egg on his hand. Thanking the alebrije before he finally faced the young "couple" to give what they wanted.

"This will help you both come to the Land of the Living. And if when you're ready to come back, just say "bebeleche"," Leonardo said.

"Bebeleche?" Socorro said with a little laugh. She loved that game as a child.

"That's it. Be safe you two," Leonardo said as he then soon break the egg, causing a dark green mist to come from it.

The mist soon surrendered the young "couple". Héctor was a bit nervous upon having the mist around him. However, if this means to get to back to Imelda and his parents, then this will be his one chance to get back to them.

As the mist cleared, the young man saw the nightly sky. The moon was full tonight. He was back home in the Land of the Living. However, there's still one problem. Socorro was still with him.

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**Thanks for reading this guys. I hope you all like this chapter I made. Héctor and Imelda will meet in the next chapter. Just be prepared for when Imelda and Socorro met each other in the same room as Héctor. **

**P.A. The word 'bebeleche' is another word for hopscotch in Mexica. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello, everyone. Your girl is back here to update this story. Thank you all so much for paternity waiting for me to write this chapter for all of you. Finally, Héctor and Imelda will see each other again in this chapter. How will things go from here? You'll find out, my lovely readers. I don't own the canon characters. they rightful belong to their real owners while I only own my ocs. **

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Socorro grasp when she saw the beautiful moon in the sky. She couldn't believe how long since she saw the it. It was bright and beautiful. She wonder how long did she waited in the darkness just to wait for someone to marry her. Perhaps four years or so? But she was just glad to see the moon again.

"I spent so long in the darkness, I've almost forgotten how beautiful the moonlight could be," Socorro said as she place her hand on her chest.

She then notice a little moth flying towards her. She giggle as she watch it flutter away from her. She was so glad that her "husband" had thought of this. She couldn't wait to meet her new "in-laws". She hope they'll like her. Maybe she should have brought a gift for them? Showing them that she'll love and respect Héctor just as he has for the few hours since they have been married.

Socorro then dance around the area where she and Héctor were at. It seems to be a small meadow but it was lovely to her. She dance in a circle around Héctor and place her arms around him. Happy to finally have some alone time with him before they go to his parents. Socorro pull Héctor to her and got him to dance with her. She giggle while the young man accidently trip a few times during their little dance.

Héctor then place Socorro on a tree stump. He felt bad for lying to her since he actually wanted to see his real bride Imelda Flores. He didn't know how to break it to her that their "marriage" was an accident, especially when he had heard her story. But Héctor also knew she did kind of kidnapped him and took him away from his home. So technically speaking, he was trying to escape his captor.

"Espera aquí, Socorro. I'll go and get my parents, and tell them about the big news," Héctor said.

"Sí. Date prisa en volver, mi amour," Socorro said.

"No peeking," Héctor said as he slowly backed away from the skeleton bride.

Socorro did what he told her and turn around while chuckling. She couldn't wait any longer.

While Socorro turn around, Héctor quickly run back to his hometown of Santa Cecilia. However, unknown to Héctor, he was being watch by Pepita who went to the Living World just to keep an eye on the living man who had just "married" Socorro. She's in her normal housecat form instead of her usual alebrije self. The young man had once tried to run away from Socorro after learning he was now "married" to her, so Pepita was a little suspicious of him. The cat then decided to follow Héctor to town just to see if he was up to something.

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_Santa Cecilia _

Héctor ran through Santa Cecilia and stop just to catch his breath. He look back to see that Socorro wasn't following him like last time. He sigh in relief to know that his plan was working at least. Sure his plan has only been made when they return to the Land of the Living, but it was still better than no plan at all.

"I need to do is find my parents to let them know I'm okay, and go meet Imelda," Héctor said to himself.

The young man was very glad to back in the Land of the Living where everyone had their skin on their body. No arms or legs being literally being broken off. While he walk to where his house was, he walked passed by two men recognize him as the missing Rivera groom.

"Hey, you're that missing rich boy from the Rivera family, right?" One of the men asks as he stop Héctor.

"Yes. I'm him," Héctor said, knowing his parents must had sent a search party for him.

"Oh, boy! I actually thought the rumors were true. I should known that someone like you would never do it," The man said while laughing.

"What rumors?" Héctor asks confusedly.

"There's some rumors going around town that said you run off with another girl after you messed up the wedding rehearsal," The other man said while he laughed as well. The other man began to laugh as well.

Héctor couldn't believe there're rumors of him running off with another girl on his wedding eve. Then again, there has always been rumors of every rich people doing things by the working class.

"Well, here I am. Back here to get married to Imelda Flores tomorrow. Now would you all excuse me, I need to go meet my parents and Imelda who I must apologize for being a fool on our wedding rehearsal," Héctor said as he try to walk away from the men.

However, the two men stop laughing and stand in front of Héctor to stop from going to the Flores manor.

"Amigo, we have good news and bad news for," The first man said with a bit concerning.

"Sí. The good news your parents are still looking for you, kid," The second man said.

"And what's the bad news, amigos?" Héctor asks nervously.

"The bad news is that they're in another town from and they caught off your engagement with the Flores girl, chamaco," The first one said.

Héctor couldn't believed his ears. His parents had caught off his wedding to Imelda after they told him he has to get married to her. Why did they changed their minds all of sudden? Especially his mother Sofía who made sure everything was going be according to her plans for their family to be welcome into the elite class through his marriage to Imelda.

"Also, chamaco, I think it's best for you to stay away from the Flores since Señor and Señora Flores are said to be really angry at the moment," The second one said.

Héctor knew they were right about staying from Imelda's parents, but he was determined to see Imelda again and tell her how he feels.

"Gracias, amigos," Héctor said as he began to walk away from them. He knew he couldn't walk in front of Imelda's door now. But he had another plan to see her. Since his parents was now out of town, he'll have to spend the night alone in his house. Not that he mind or anything.

However, the young man wasn't aware that Pepita has been following throughout his journey back to Santa Cecilia. She didn't like it when she heard that Héctor was trying to see another woman behind Socorro's back on what she had to go through to get to the Land of the Living just so he could go meet another girl. Socorro herself wasn't going to like when Pepita will lead her to Héctor and the other woman.

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_Forest_

Socorro sigh while she waited for Héctor to get his parents. Sure he has only been gone for a few minutes, but she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Last time a man told her to wait, he ended killing her for her money and jewelries.

Pepita quickly came to the skeleton bride's side and nuzzle up to her. Socorro recognized the cat as Pepita since the way she was behaving like the giant alebrije would do. The cat acted like she trying to tell Socorro something. Meowing and grabbing her dress like there's something wrong

"What is it, Pepita?" Socorro asks her cat.

Pepita showed Socorro the path Héctor took to go to town. Socorro was confuse on what was Pepita was telling her. Was Héctor in trouble? Did something bad happened to him? What ever it is, Socorro was going to find out. She knows Héctor had told to stay put, but if he was in trouble, then she'll help him out. Like any other loving and loyal wife would do for her "husband".

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_Flores manor_

Héctor walk over to the Flores manor. Seeing a few lights were on. He hope that Imelda wasn't asleep yet. He didn't want to disturb her during her sleep. According to some stories he heard a few times, a few of Imelda's admires had sang to her below of her balcony which is said to be on the left side of the manor. Of course, these admires would often being hit by Imelda's shoes since she hated to be treated that way.

Seeing the balcony he heard so much about, Héctor wasted no time to start climbing on it. He hope Imelda wouldn't be too mad at him for running away from the rehearsal like her parents.

Inside her room, Imelda was sitting on a chair and was sewing a blanket for her brothers to keep them warm for the upcoming winter nights. The fireplace in her room was on, keeping her nice and warm. She was completely unaware that her now ex-fiancée was on her balcony. Héctor try to calm himself down before facing her again. He knew she'll probably want an explanation on where he has been. After a few more of taking a deep breath, Héctor then knocked on the glass door of Imelda.

Startled, Imelda turn around and saw Héctor standing on her balcony. Immediately, Imelda got up from her chair and open the door to let Héctor inside. the young man quickly got in while he close the door behind him.

"Imelda," Héctor said with a smile.

"Héctor?" Imelda said quietly while she slowly reach her hand to his face. Slapping him across the face on the right with her hand to let him how much angry she was at him.

"Ow!" He said as he rubbed his cheek that Imelda stroke.

"That's for making me and your parents worried," Imelda said before she lead him to her fireplace.

"Come by the fire. Where have you been, Héctor? Everyone has been looking for you," Imelda said to him.

"So, you're not that mad at me?" Héctor asks her.

"If I was that mad, I would have hit you with my shoe," She said.

"Imelda..." Héctor started but couldn't tell her what really happened to him since he didn't know if she would believe him.

The young woman knew something was wrong with the man in front of her. He look like he had been through a lot. When she touch his hand, it was icy cold. What could have happened to him?

"You're freezing cold! What happened to you, Héctor?" Imelda said worriedly.

However, now it wasn't the time to worry about himself. Héctor knew he has to tell Imelda how he feels.

"Imelda, this morning I was terrified of getting someone I barely know and saw. But when I actually get to finally met you and see the real you, I know I couldn't backed away from this. I now wish to marry you because I wish to spend the rest of my life with you, Imelda Flores," Héctor said as he got on one knee while he held onto her left hand, deeply wishing he still has the ring that was meant only for Imelda, his true bride.

Imelda could feel her heart was beating. No one had ever told her that before. Almost every men wanted her only for her looks and family status. But Héctor didn't care for either of them. He simply wanted to marry her for just her. She couldn't be happier than she ever was at the moment.

"Héctor, I feel the same way," Imelda said happily.

As the young couple got up and were about to kiss each other, Héctor saw Socorro was on the balcony. However, she was having trouble of getting her dress onto the balcony as well. He grasp since he didn't told Imelda about her. Imelda heard his shocking grasp when she saw he was looking at her balcony door. She was about to turn around and see what was wrong but Héctor gently grabbed her face with a regretful look on his face.

"Imelda, I need to tell you I'm find myself accidently married. And you should know it wasn't on my own will," Héctor said gently to her.

The door open as the wind came inside while Socorro came in with her beautiful veil had covered her face.

"Mi amour, I was starting to..." Socorro was about to say she was started to get worried when she lifted her veil to see Imelda and gasp when she saw the most older and beautiful young woman who was much beautiful than her and was alive like Héctor.

Imelda herself gasp when the figure that appeared in her revealed to be a skeleton with a wedding dress. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. An actual skeleton in her house.

Socorro felt a wave of jealously coming over her when she felt this was the reason Pepita wanted her to see. She pulled Héctor to her and look at the other woman with an angry look on her face.

"Héctor, who's this?" Socorro asks while she kept looking at Imelda.

"Who is she?" Imelda asks as well.

Smirking, Socorro lifted her hand to show her the ring that Héctor give to _her_.

"I'm _his wife_," Socorro said, showing off the ring to the living woman.

Imelda couldn't believe what she just heard. Héctor was married to a dead woman! Is this skeleton was the mysterious woman he was with when he disappeared.

"Héctor?" Imelda started. This couldn't true, could it?

"Imelda, wait. You don't understand. She's dead, look," Héctor said as he took Socorro's hand, which was the hand that she showed off, and waved it to his actual bride to prove his point.

Socorro, however, was not amused by this. She was angry to have discovered that Héctor seeing some other woman behind her back. After everything she has done for him! She took her hand from him and stood behind the balcony, saying the word to get back to the Land of the Dead. Pepita had arrived and quickly got on Socorro's shoulders while the cat look at the young man with the same angry look as well.

"Bebeleche!" Socorro said in a quiet but angry tone.

She then grab Héctor and pull him to her, taking him back with her to the Land of the Dead. He's her HUSBAND! Hers! No one can have him like her!

"NO! NO! IMELDA!" Héctor cried out as he stretch his hand to his real bride while she did the same too.

Crows then appeared as they circle around them. Taking them back to the Land of the Dead.

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**Poor Héctor. He had just got back home and now he went back by force. Also, poor Imelda as well. She knows that she finally founded the man she wanted to marry but he has been taken from her against his will. And poor Socorro. What she did is wrong, but she has spend years waiting for a true love that seemed to come to free her from her spot. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello, everyone. Thank you for waiting for this chapter to happen. Héctor now has some explaining to do now. Poor Imelda, She had just witness the man she loves being dragged into the Land of the Dead by a skeleton, and we all know how Victoria was treated by her parents. I don't own the canon characters. I only own my ocs.**

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Once the crows had taken them back to the Land of the Dead, Pepita quickly landed from Socorro's shoulders and flew out the window before she could fulfill transformed back into her alebrije form. Socorro, in the meanwhile, was beyond angry at Héctor. He tricked her into thinking he was going to introduce his parents to her. Instead, he went and meet another woman behind her back. How long was this going on? Just who was that woman anyway?

"You lied to me! Just to get back to that _another woman_!" Socorro said as she let Héctor go by pushing him away from her once they were in Leonardo's office.

Héctor rubbed his arm nervously. She should have figure that Socorro would be mad at him for lying to her. Despite it wasn't his intentionally to hunt her, but she still kidnapped him from his home and family.

"Don't you understand? You're the other woman," Héctor said to her.

But Socorro refused to believe that she was the other woman in this relationship. After all, he "married" her in the forest. Surely that meant the other girl was the mistress instead of her. She didn't want to think that Héctor had met that woman before he met her.

"No! You're married to me! She's the other woman!" Socorro said as she began to cry. Crying so hard that her right eye had literally popped out of its' socket while it rolled over to Héctor and landed at his feet.

Héctor pick up the eye and rubbed it to clean it at least. He really did felt bad to had done this to Socorro.

"She has a point," Leonardo said to the young man at the his desk.

"And I thought... I thought this was going so well!" Socorro cried as she wiped her tears away.

"It's my eye, isn't it?" Socorro asks. Afraid what Héctor said to that the other girl about her being a skeleton.

"No. Your eye is... lovely," Héctor said while he look away from her for a bit.

Héctor sigh deeply. He didn't really want to tell her the actual truth. This was never going to work out anyway, if he wanted to work this "marriage" out. This was just impossible since they're just from different worlds to be have a relationship together beyond that of a possible friendship.

"Look. Given our circumstances, this can't work out between us. Who knows? But we're just too different. I mean, you're dead, and you did kidnapped me," Héctor said to her truthfully.

"You should had thought of that before you asked me to marry you," Socorro said heartbroken.

"Why can you understand, it was a mistake! I would never marry you!" Héctor said, realizing what he had just said to her.

Socorro gasp when her "husband" said that to her in her face. Guess that proves it. Héctor was ashamed that "married" a skeleton bride. The other woman, Imelda, was a lot prettier than she was. Both in life and in death. Héctor would no doubting chose Imelda over her.

Socorro didn't need to say anything to him. Hearing him saying that was enough for her of what he thought of her. Just a skeleton girl who should had give up on her chance of finding love and happiness years ago. The skeleton bride walk away quietly and passed Héctor as she headed towards the door. She didn't want to speak to him right now. She wanted to be alone for the rest of the night.

Héctor reached his hand out to her but he pulled back. He knew he should leave her alone for the night until she wanted to talk to him again on her terms. He watch as her dress was out of sight while its' movement almost resembled that of a butterfly.

* * *

_Outside_

Socorro had walked from the Departure Agency to a small ally near the building. She used to come here before she met Elena and the kids. Leonardo used to found here before he introduced her to Elena and her grandkids. She came here since she didn't want Elena to be upset at Héctor since he was indeed right on her kidnapping him from his home in the first place. Guess she was really a immature girl who doesn't think of the possibilities of a relationship could go wrong.

_"You think I would want marry an idiot girl like you? Well, I'm sorry to say, Socorro, but I like mature women than girls. Sorry that I have to break up our relationship like this, but I need to think of what kind of woman I actually want next. You understand, don't you. Success doesn't __come for free, Socorro. You have to be willing to do what it takes to... seize your moment. I know you understand._"

That was what the first man she loved had said to her when he left her to die in the coldness while he steal her money and jewels after he buried her in that hole when she was barely alive back then. After that, Socorro felt so stupid for falling love too quickly for a stranger. Her mother and father had warned her of how dangerous it could possible for her if she married someone neither of them knew.

Socorro set on a coffin that was open. She took off her veil and brought out her bridal bouquet. The bouquet was made of roses and lilies. Of course the flowers were dead since she arrived here, but she couldn't help feel sad that her flowers had no longer life in them. They would be better if they were still alive.

The skeleton girl couldn't help but feel jealous of Imelda and how beautiful she was. She was so alive with beautiful soft skin on her body. Socorro knew she shouldn't compared, but she remembered how much older and mature looking Imelda was. The living girl had no doubting warm skin with a beating heart.

Imelda look like she was from a wealthy family while Socorro was disowned by hers. That other girl had Héctor's love and was willing to be with her. Socorro had his sympathy and he did look like he did enjoyed her company but he didn't care about her the same way she does for him.

At the end, Socorro lost before she was even the race for Héctor's love. Imelda had won while Socorro wasn't even considered to be Héctor's choice for a wife. Does this mean that he thought of as a little girl this entire time while they were together.

Socorro couldn't help but let tears out. Despite no longer having a heart, literally, she could still the pain in her chest. Reminding her that she was dead and she'll never have her dream of becoming a bride since she was a child and a mother with children. Even with Héctor, Socorro would never become a mother she wanted to be like her own mother.

"I still have tears to shed," Socorro said as she laid down on the coffin with a tear drop fell from her eyes as she fell asleep.

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**Thank you for reading this chapter. We'll heading to where Imelda tells her family about Héctor and Socorro, eve though if you watched the movie of how that ended for Victoria. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello, everyone. Your girl's back to update another chapter for you all. Last chapter was hard on the three lead characters, this one will be more harder on Imelda. For those of you who watch 'Corpse Bride', you know things will be bad for her. I don't own the canon characters while my ocs belong to me.**

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"Es verdad, Mamá! Héctor is married to a dead woman!" Imelda said while she walk back and forth in front of her mother, brothers, and maid Lirio.

Right after Héctor and the skeleton bride disappeared into nothingness, Imelda immediately called her maid and mother. Her little brothers had woken up after hearing Imelda sounding so hysterical. Neither of the twins had ever heard her sounded so spooked, like she had just seen a ghost. In fact, Imelda look a bit pale when the boys enter her room. Their mother, Isabella, didn't want them to stay up late, but decided to let them do since it might calm Imelda down.

However, Isabella wasn't in the mood to hear such stories coming from her daughter, who's ready jumpy from seeing an actual skeleton being in her room. Óscar and Felipe were scared as Imelda began to describe the skeleton and the latter took Héctor with her to who knows where right in front of her eyes.

"And she was standing right there with Héctor," Imelda said pointing to the spot of where the skeleton was standing, which was where her mother was.

"Héctor was in your room?!" Isabella said, both angrily and shock to hear that the Rivera boy was in her daughter's room in the middle of the night, alone with Imelda.

"We have to help to him," Imelda said as she walk to her mother, shaking like a leaf.

While Isabella didn't believe in her daughter's story, and Lirio was more concern for Imelda's mental heath, Óscar and Felipe actually believe in their sister's words since Imelda would never make something like up. She's way too mature to do that.

Lirio gently walk towards Imelda and took her ands into hers while stroke them and lead to the girl near the fireplace to warm her up since she felt cold.

"Please set in your chair, Señorita Imelda, while I go get you a warm blanket. You're shaking like leaf," Lirio said calming towards the eldest daughter of the house.

But Isabella had enough of Imelda's tales. She walk between her daughter and Lirio, and harshly slapped Lirio's hands away from her daughter's, "Get her a straitjacket, she has gone mad!" Isabella said, walking pass her daughter.

Imelda couldn't believe what her own mother had just said. She knew that her story wasn't going to be taken believable by everyone, but she hoped that her own family would let least believe her. She felt her heart was starting to break on what her mother had said that, and right in front of her own children.

"But, Mamá..." Imelda state but was silence by Isabella's cold stare.

"Óscar, Felipe, vamos. You too, Lirio," Isabella order with a cold tone in her voice.

All three obey Isabella's order and left Imelda alone in her room, with Isabella locking her the door. Imelda backwards upon hearing her door lock by her mother. She felt she had hit by her own shoe, and by her very own mother no less. She heard thunder and didn't even to turn to see lighting, it began to rain.

But the young woman refuse to let this stop her from saving Héctor. Imelda turn around to her balcony door and open it. She knew there's one person in this town that will help her save Héctor. Despite rain was coming down hard, Imelda wasn't going to let that stop her. She had always scare off men that try to marry her, and this won't be any different.

Upon stepping outside, Imelda look down from her balcony and saw the ground below. It's one floor off to where she's standing. Imelda soon got an idea. She'll have to use the blanket she was making for her brothers to go down from here. She felt terrible for doing this to her brothers, but Héctor's life is possibility on the line. There's no other choice since her parents would never let her out this late.

Quickly grabbing the blanket, Imelda slowly sled down. But the blanket wasn't long enough to reach the ground. Even worst, her father also happen to be standing near the window she's near while he's looking at his watch. If he sees her, her parents would surely send her to an asylum as a insane daughter that disgrace the family.

The blanket that Imelda had hanging onto had began to rip bit by bit. Scare that she'll surely get caught now. Héctor will surely be forever doom to be married to that skeleton that took away from her and his parents.

But by some miracle, both Óscar and Felipe had come and saw her. They manage to hold back their laughs since seeing their sister like this is a rare a opportunity. But they both knew this is a serious matter, and Héctor needed their help. The twins knew that Imelda would might try something like this to help her beloved ex-fiancée, so they went downstairs to the room where Imelda's room's above. Hoping that no one was in it. But to their dismay, their father, Martín, was in the room. Quickly, the twins caught his attention by coughing.

Martín look away from his watch and saw his sons had enter the room. They're suppose to be in bed right, not staying up all night to play.

"Mijos, what are you still doing up? You two should be in bed right now," Martín said sternly.

While Martín scolded his sons, he fail to notice his eldest daughter is outside and hanging on a blanket from her balcony. Imelda give her brothers a nod of thanks for helping her. She's at least glad that her brothers believe in her story.

The blanket rip while Martín kept scolding his young sons. Imelda fell on her feet. She wasn't hurt or anything, but she watch as her brothers were being escorting back into their room by their father.

With being this far now, Imelda then ran into the stormy rain. This is something her mother would surely have her head if she ever discover what Imelda did this. Isabella would no doubt be angry at her daughter for something unladylike again. But Imelda didn't care if she's being ladylike or not. Héctor's life is more important right now. She ran as first as she could while she made sure she was being careful as she could easily get hurt in this wealthy. The person that she's heading surely knows a way to undo this madness.

He has to.

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**Imelda is one strong woman! I hope I write her character well in this chapter good as well. I even hate what I did to her. Also, her parents suck. Any loving parents would be more concern of their child's mental heath, not their family's social status. But we all know where Imelda heading towards. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello, everyone. Your girl's back to update another for you all. Thank you all for being patient with me for writing this chapter. If those who watch this part from Corpse Bride, can we all agree that I'm being so cruel to Imelda in this story? I really love her character, and I hate what I'm doing to her. I don't own the canon characters while I only own my ocs.**

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Imelda ran in the rain for what seemed like an hour before she finally reach the church. At least, she's finally here. Now she can truly help Héctor and save him that skeleton. The young woman is very cold and wet from the rain; even with the blanket she wrapped herself with. When Imelda stop in front doors, she knocked as loudly as she can since she knows that Padre Luis is likely asleep now since it's so late.

Inside of the church, Padre Luis had heard the knocking and got from bed to answer to who it is in this hour of time while he took a candle to help him see. In all honestly, the old man was quite annoyed to be disturb this late at night.

"Who can this be in hour?" Padre Luis asks himself as he reach to the doors.

Hearing the person knocking on his doors began to get louder, Padre Luis grew more irritating with each second of the knocking.

"Estoy aquí! Estoy aquí!" He said as he open to the doors to see the person he at least expected to be: Imelda Flores.

Imelda pull the blanket off her head to reveal herself to Padre Luis. He's now her only hope of saving Héctor since her parents don't believe, which Imelda herself didn't really blamed them since she knows she sounds crazy for telling something like that. But surely Padre Luis knows that something like this must have happened before once. He knows what can disturb the dead if they're ever disrespected by the living.

"Señorita Flores, what are you doing here? You should be at home praying for the return of your former husband-to-be," Padre Luis said confusedly.

"Padre Luis, please I need your help," Imelda said with fright.

"What is it, my child? Have you committed any sins yet?" He asks before Imelda burst inside the church.

"You're only the one who knows more about the afterlife than anyone else in Santa Cecilia," Imelda said, hoping that he'll answer her question.

"A dark topic to a former bride-to-be," Padre Luis said, wondering where was this coming from.

"It's a bride that I'm afraid of. Which why I need to know... Can the living marry the dead?" Imelda finally asks as thunder and lighting appear after she said that.

Padre Luis gasp when she asked that question. He would never thought that someone like Imelda Flores would ask as such a dark question.

"What on earth are you speaking about?" He asks seriously.

"Por favor, it's Héctor! He married to a skeleton! He has an actual skeleton for a bride! How do we undo this?!" Imelda asks.

Padre Luis look at her for a moment. He thought long and hard until he knew what to do.

"I believe there's a way I can help. Follow me," He said to her as he took out the fire on the candle.

* * *

_Flores manor_

Isabelle open to the door to whoever was knocking at this hour. But she wasn't expected to see Padre Luis with her daughter whose was being held by him and her hair was all a mess from the stress and rain she was going through.

"Imelda, what happened to you? What do look like a mess?" Isabelle asks her daughter.

"She's speaking tongue of unholy spirits! Her mind had come undone I fear!" Padre Luis said as he continued to hold onto Imelda to keep her "harming" others and herself.

"It's not true! Let me go! Let me go!" Imelda said as she try to get away from the priest.

Imelda have known better than to trust Padre Luis. He would no doubt believe that she went mad as well like her parents.

Padre Luis had granted Imelda's wish and let her go: only to for the young woman to be caught by her mother.

"Gracias, Padre Luis," Isabelle said as she gently close the door.

After closing the door, Imelda had manage to get away from her mother's tight grip. Isabelle is now beyond angry. How can her own daughter do such a thing? Doesn't Imelda care what would happen if word gets out that she sneak out of the house and into the rain late at night. Isabelle couldn't believe her daughter, Imelda would behave in such an ugly manner. This all of that Rivera boy's fault that her only daughter would act this way.

Óscar and Felipe had sneak out of their room again to hear that their beloved big sister had return home, but only to have found no one believed her story of Héctor being taken away by a skeleton. Not even Padre Luis would offered her his help. Martín knew this will bring a great deal of embarrassment on his family's name for man centuries to come.

"Take her to her room!" Isabelle order two butlers to take Imelda away.

"No! I'm telling the truth! Héctor needs my help! Lirio, you believe me, don't you?" Imelda asks her beloved childhood maid as she was being taken by the two butlers by her arms and being dragged away to her bedroom.

"Mamá, Papa, por favor," Imelda said as she being drag away from her parents who look away in shame of how she turned out.

"Make sure everything is locked and sealed. I don't want her to escape again," Martín ordered as well.

"He needs our help! Let me go! Let me go!" Imelda cried out as she began to try fight off the butlers off of her.

While this was all happening, Ernesto de la Cruz watch with delight as he watch Imelda's parents began talking.

"This will surely cause us be to the laughingstock if anyone finds out about this," Isabelle said as she walk towards her husband.

"What shall we do, Martín?" She asks him.

"I don't know, Isabelle. But we must find a way to get Imelda before our name fall into disgrace," He said.

Ernesto knew it was finally time to act out on his plans. They can't refuse his offer since he's willingly to do it. He's already what they always dream in a son-in-law anyway.

"For that foolish boy to place Imelda aside is quite a crime. If I have a beautiful girl like your daughter by my side: I cherish her with riches to fit a queen like herself," Ernesto said as he came out of the shadows and walk towards the Floreses.

"Thank you for saying that, Señor de la Cruz. But I'm sure your own wife is already a lucky woman to have you as her husband," Isabelle said.

Ernesto smile since they thought that he must already have a wife of his own since someone like him would be already marry of a perfect bride for him. Too bad that he did had one years ago, and he "lost" her that night.

"I'm afraid I'm not spoken for, mi amigos. I was getting married to this wonderful girl a few years ago... But tragic took her away me before we even wed. I was hoping to find a perfect bride to fill in the hole my first true love left behind," Ernesto said to them.

Hearing Ernesto's backstory, both Martín and Isabella look at each other and know that their prays had answered already: even before they arranged Imelda's engagement to Héctor Rivera. They smile as they both know now what this means.

* * *

_Imelda's room_

Imelda groan as she push her spade from her fireplace into her door. She managed to hide her spade from the butlers after they locked everything in her room and used it as a weapon.

Imelda refuse to simply give up now. She needed another way to save Héctor. She doesn't care if her parents now considered her to be a lost case now, Héctor is the first boy that has ever treated her like an actual person.

However, she kept trying to break her door, it suddenly open to reveal her parents had open it themselves. Imelda wonder what do they want now.

"We have wonderful news, Imelda. There will be a wedding after all," Martín said as he walk pass his daughter.

Imelda couldn't believe her ears. This means Héctor had already been saved.

"You found him?" Imelda asks with hope in her heart.

"You have to get some rest, mija. We have to look so beautiful for Señor de la Crus," Isabelle said happily to her daughter.

Hearing that it was Ernesto de la Cruz that they were talking about, caused Imelda to drop her spade as she stood there in shock. Her? Marrying Ernesto de la Cruz instead of Héctor Rivera? This can't be happing.

"Ernesto de la Cruz?" Imelda said, like her world began to crumble around her.

"He'll make a wonderful husband for you," Isabelle said.

"A far better match this time," Martín added.

Imelda could feel her heart was starting to arch. She didn't want this marriage to happen. She didn't want to marry a man she only just meet today.

"But I don't love him. You can't make me do this," Imelda said, trying to hold her ground against her parents.

But neither of her parents didn't care if she love Ernesto or not. This is the way people of wealth marry. There's no such thing as love in their world. They marry for money and status.

"We must," Martín said.

Imelda refuse to what they told her to do. They can't force her to marry this man against her will.

"I refuse this man! I don't want him! I would rather live on the streets then be his wife!" Imelda said.

"And what about your brothers? Do you also want them to live on the streets as well?" Isabella asks her daughter.

Imelda look at her parents and saw they were being very serious on how this marriage will protect her little brothers from the streets.

"Do you think your little brothers would survived a single say on the streets? Begging for money? All because their big sister didn't marry Ernesto de la Cruz: the man who could given them a better life with his wealth," Martín said to his daughter.

Imelda didn't want to think about it, but her parents are right. If she doesn't marry someone soon, her younger brothers would be living off the cold and unforgiving streets of the town.

"But... Héctor..." Imelda stated but was stop by her mother.

"Héctor Rivera is gone now, mija," Isabella said as she and her husband walk pass their heartbroken daughter.

"You will marry Ernesto de la Cruz tomorrow," Martín said as he close and locked the door behind him.

However, unknown to either of them, Ernesto had listening. He was happy to know that Imelda's parents are now marrying their daughter off to him instead. He's certainly lucky to have Imelda as his new bride.

Ernesto soon walk down the hallway and stoop when he saw picture of Imelda Flores. He caress her face while he look at her.

"Don't be so sad, me dear. You only have to suffer this marriage until death do us part... And that will come sooner than you believe," Ernesto said as he walk away from the picture of his new bride.

"Now... there's still some things that need to be lose ends to this family," He said as he walk into the shadows.

* * *

**Please, forgive me for making Imelda suffering in this story. But don't worry, it will get better for her at the end. She and Héctor will see each other again like in the movie. **


	18. Chapter 18

**Hello, everyone. Your girl's back to update another chapter for you all. Sorry for the long wait, everyone, I've been trying to finish up some of my other stories that I haven't done in awhile. Thank you for your patience. I don't own the canon characters while I only own my oc characters.**

* * *

Out in the outskirt of Santa Cecilia, both Sofía and Adrián Rivera have been driving around nearby towns to see if their beloved only son were in any of them. But neither of those towns had Héctor in them. César drove the couple back to town after another failed search for the missing Rivera boy. He too was afraid of the worst of his young master. Especially when there's rumors going around about Héctor being spirited away by the spirit of a dead bride.

"Oh, it's almost dawn! Where is he? Where's our baby, Adrián?" Sofía said fearfully. The stress of the disappearance of her baby has cause her hair to be out of place and her makeup to be ruined. But she didn't care about her appearance since all she wants now is her son back in her arms.

"We will find him, mi amor. We need to remain strong for Héctor's sake," Adrián said to his beloved wife.

"I should had never arrange a marriage with that family in the first place. All I wanted was for him no longer being look down by the elites in this town. I thought that a marriage between him and Imelda will make things better for him. I just didn't want Héctor to be feel like he's nothing by those rich people. Now, I just want our son back with us!" She cried as she hug her husband.

Adrián gently rub his wife's back as she continued to cry her eyes out. He pray that wherever Héctor is, the latter knows that his family still loves no matter what and misses him greatly and more than life itself.

"Tomorrow we can start again, Sofía. We can't find our son if we're tired," He said to his wife.

"César, por favor llévanos a casa," Adrián said to the driver.

"Sí, Señor Rivera," César said.

While they were near Santa Cecilia, the couple kept hoping and praying that their son will return to them safely. They couldn't imagine that they outlive Héctor and have to bury him when it should be the other way around.

Once they were finally back in town, they could see that they were the only ones in Santa Cecilia that are still awoke. Everybody in town went to bed where the Riveras still went searching for their boy. When dawn breaks, Adrián will offer a grand reward for anyone who can find and bring back his missing son.

It was dark outside with no lights on in the streets and with no sound but the wheels of the car driving towards the Rivera manor. But the couple didn't care about how spooky that the night was as they couldn't get their mind off of their beloved son. The night couldn't compare their fear of not seeing their son alive again and finding his lifeless body near town. They would give anything to see their son again.

When César drove near the manor, he tried to pull the brakes but find they didn't work. Again, he try to pull the brakes, but again it was no useless. The brakes wouldn't work! The driver try to again and again to stop the car but pulling the brakes didn't help.

When Adrián notice that they had pass the manor, he turn to César to see the old man was having problems with brakes. Something that never has happen before.

"César, what's going on? Why are we passing our house?" Adrián asks while Sofía look at her house as they drove passed it.

"Perdóame, señor. The brakes won't working!" The old man said to the couple who became fearful of what will happen, but more fearful of not seeing their son again than of their fates.

César try his best to stop the car. The car has been working fine all day. There was nothing with it until now. César try to think of ways of what was wrong with the car. The last town they visit was with the Rivera couple went to see around town to see of their son was there cold and alone. Leaving César to watch the car. However, when he was alone, he could had sworn that he heard something in an alleyway behind him. But when he went to go look, it was nothing. César did bumped into another man when he turn back who was drunk and singing. César didn't think too much of it. But he had a really dark feeling about that man.

Adrián and Sofía try to get out, but it was too late. The car then flipped and crush into an alleyway. The people who lived in that area had woken up from the crushing noises and went out to see the scene.

* * *

_Flores manor _

Dawn broke as Ernesto de la Cruz had gotten up and getting prepare for his wedding today. In a few hours, Imelda Flores will be his wife along with what's hers will be is as well.

"A perfect day for a wedding. I hope that my plans will go according today," Ernesto said as he look at the mirror in his room.

Ernesto then heard knocking on his door. He went over to see who it was. Opening the door to see the butler of the Flores family and someone he hired last night for to get ride of a problem for him.

"Señor de la Cruz, this man says he works for you and he came here to tell that he got ride of a problem you were having," The butler, his name being Nicolás if Ernesto remember correctly, said to the man.

"Oh, sí! I asked him to take care something. Mi amigo, is the problem taking of?" Ernesto ask the man.

"Sí, señor. It's all taken care of now. There won't be a problem anymore," The man said.

Ernesto nodded and handed the man his reward. The man then left with Nicolás escorting the man out of the manor.

Ernesto smile as he look back at his mirror. Things are going to go according to plan. Soon everything will be his. Just like all those years ago when he met _her._

* * *

**Thank you all for reading this chapter. Ernesto now has everything going to plans. I hope you like I handle Adrián and Sofía's deaths in this chapter. I've been planning to kill them off unlike Victor's parents. Sorry to those who like Héctor's parents, but sacrifice had to be made. **


End file.
